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No charges in fatal officer-involved shooting following Eagan standoff

Isak Abdirahman Aden was killed July 2 after an hours-long standoff in which he at times held a gun to his head and refused police orders to move away from it.
Credit: David Peterlinz, KARE 11
Police say a male suspect was killed in an overnight officer-involved shooting following a standoff involving six law enforcement agencies in Eagan.

EAGAN, Minn. — A Minnesota prosecutor says there will be no charges filed against five police officers who fatally shot a 23-year-old man after a standoff in Eagan.

Isak Abdirahman Aden was killed July 2 after an hours-long standoff in which he at times held a gun to his head and refused police orders to move away from it. Witnesses say the situation began when Aden pulled a gun on his ex-girlfriend and ordered her to drive them away from her residence. 

According to a report released Wednesday by the Dakota County Attorney's Office, Aden was shot after he picked up the gun and raised his arm. The report says one officer from Eagan and four Bloomington officers feared for the lives of other officers and fired their weapons. It was later determined that Aden also fired his gun.

An autopsy showed he was shot 11 times. 

RELATED: Man killed in Eagan standoff identified

RELATED: Police: Man killed after standoff with 6 law enforcement agencies

A news release by the Dakota County Attorney's Office described the fatal confrontation: "Three flashbangs were ignited and thrown towards Aden. Less lethal munitions were also fired by two officers and it is believed two of these struck Aden. Unfortunately Aden did not surrender and instead got up from a seated position, lunged for the gun near him, picked it up and began to raise his right hand with the gun in it. It was later determined Aden fired the gun after he picked it up. Fearing for the life of the numerous law enforcement officers at the scene, five police officers at that time fired lethal rounds, a number of which struck and killed Aden. This entire incident, from the time of the deployment of the first flashbang until the lethal rounds were fired, occurred within about six seconds."

Video released by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Wednesday showed the encounter as recorded from a Minnesota State Patrol squad car, including the flashbang and Aden's initial reaction, with the BCA highlighting a section of the video that appears to show Aden's hand reaching down to pick up an object next to him. (The video may be considered graphic by some viewers. Click here to view a portion of the video released by the BCA.)

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom says the use of deadly force was legally justified. "Although I have concluded that the use of deadly forced by the law enforcement officers was legally justified in this instance, any loss of life is a tragic occurrence, and wish to express my sympathy to the family and friends of Isak Aden, whose life was lost in this incident."

The fatal shooting was followed by weeks of protests and demonstrations demanding the release of video and audio from body and squad car dash cams. Demonstrators also called for the officers who shot Aden to be prosecuted. 

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, says he’s disappointed in the decision.

RELATED: Man killed in Eagan standoff identified

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