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EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – A police officer in Minnesota who accidentally shot and wounded a fleeing motorcyclist last June has returned to work following a seven-month investigation.
In a dashcam video, Eden Prairie police Sgt. Lonnie Soppeland can be heard exclaiming, “Oh, shit. Fuck. Fuck.” after firing two shots at 22-year-old rider Matthew Hovland-Knase, who had pulled off the road and stopped following a 3 a.m. chase that reportedly reached nearly 100 miles per hour.
Hovland-Knase was hit in the arm and was hospitalized before being transferred to the Hennepin County Jail. He was convicted last fall of fleeing an officer. Soppeland was transferred to administrative duties while the incident was investigated and has now returned to regular duties. The video has just become public, posted on YouTube by Fox 9 News in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
In the video, the officer immediately lends assistance to the wounded rider. “You actually shot me, didn’t you?” says Hovland-Knase. Soppeland responds, “I’m not going to say anything now, but, you know, it was not intentional, I can tell you that. It was not intentional.”
When other officers arrive on the scene, Soppeland tells them, “He was shot in the arm by me.”
The “Star Tribune” newspaper has a short story here.
Possibly a graduate of the Keystone Law Enforcement Officer Training School.
Can you guess where I won’t be spending money on vacation ?
I knew that you could.
Guess the officer isn’t well versed in either firearms or motorcycles. Says, “Put it in park.” What happened with the civil action?