The Minnesota State Patrol trooper who shot and killed a man during an exchange of gunfire was justified in using deadly force, the St. Louis County Attorney's Office said Wednesday.
Trooper Travis Pearson, a seven-year veteran of the patrol assigned to its Virginia district, shot and killed Donnie Joe Lira, 66, of Cherry Township on June 12 after Lira had reportedly fired shots minutes earlier at the home where his estranged wife was staying with her children. Pearson was responding to a 911 call when he located Lira driving away from his home and returning to his own home.
According to an investigation conducted by the St. Louis County sheriff's office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension:
Pearson drew his handgun after making a traffic stop in Lira's driveway. He repeatedly instructed Lira to show his hands. The trooper said Lira got out of his vehicle with a long gun. He told the suspect to drop the weapon. Pearson said Lira cocked the gun, ejected one cartridge from the gun and then pointed the gun at him, leading the trooper to fire his gun, striking the suspect several times.
Lira fell to the ground but retained possession of the gun.
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The trooper continued to yell at the suspect to drop the gun. Lira raised the gun and fired one shot. Pearson again fired several shots. CPR was administered to Lira at the scene, but he died from his wounds.
"The law authorizes the use of deadly force by a peace officer to protect the officer or another from apparent death or great bodily harm, and the trooper's actions were justified under the law," County Attorney Melanie Ford said in a prepared statement.
The investigation indicated that two of Lira's shots hit windows in the residence and another hit an outside doorknob in the residence where his estranged wife and 1-year-old and 4-year-old children were living.
Capt. Murray Herrboldt, Virginia District Commander of the State Patrol, said trooper Pearson has returned to duty after being on administrative leave, which is standard operating procedure after an officer-related shooting.
"On behalf of the State Patrol, we express our condolences to Mr. Lira's family," Herrboldt said. "Mr. Lira made some decisions that night that forced the trooper to have to defend himself. These are situations that we train for but hope that we don't have to be involved in."
