More Details Released On New Hope City Hall Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) – Authorities released more details Wednesday morning about the shooting at New Hope City Hall Monday night that left two officers shot and a suspect dead.
Two police officers were being sworn into duty at about 7 p.m. Monday at the New Hope city council meeting. As they were leaving the meeting at about 7:15 p.m., a gunman opened fire on the officers. Two officers were hit by the gunfire and were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect, identified as 68-year-old Raymond Kmetz, was shot and killed by officers at the scene.
Authorities said Tuesday night the two officers shot were identified as Joshua Eernisse and Beau Schoenard. Eernisse was one of the two officers sworn into duty at Monday night's meeting, and Schoenhard has been with the New Hope Police Department since 2008.
Authorities said two officers returned gunfire at Kmetz, killing him. Those officers have not been identified. The time frame from when Kmetz entered City Hall to when he was shot and killed was just seconds. Investigators said before Monday night's shooting, Kmetz stopped at a Twin Cities store and purchased ammunition for the gun he's accused of firing at officers.
Authorities said Kmetz entered City Hall Monday night and deliberately fired at officers. Kmetz's son, Nathan Kmetz, said Tuesday that his father could've killed people if he wanted to. He was an avid hunter and skilled with a rifle.
"This is a dangerous job that we do every day. We all do what we can to train and prepare for incidents like this, but people need to know if you fire on a police officer, they are prepared and trained to fire back," Stanek said.
Raymond Kmetz has had a history with authorities. He was well-known in the Hennepin County court system, even threatening city leaders in Crystal. That led to city leaders filing a restraining order. Kmetz's family said that over the past few years, he had lost his home, landscaping business and his wife filed for divorce. According to court records, Kmetz was civilly committed to a psychiatric hospital in St. Peter and released last July.
Both officers hurt on Monday's shooting were released from the hospital on Tuesday, and Schoenhard said he is doing well and spending time with his family. He said he's just glad his fellow officers are OK.
"The citizens and the people that were here at the council meeting and the innocent people in the building, this is something that they would never, ever expect to experience," New Hope Police Chief Tim Fournier said. "So we need to keep that in mind that we're getting through this as a department and as a staff, and we're trained to do this like all police departments and all officers are."
Authorities have not identified the police officers who returned fire on Raymond Kmetz.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation, is looking into how Kmetz obtained a gun. Under state law, it's illegal for someone who suffers from a mental illness to have access to a firearm. Stanek said Kmetz shot the officers at New Hope City Hall with a "pistol grip shotgun" that had its serial numbers "obliterated."
The sheriff said Kmetz called the Hennepin County court system earlier Monday because he wanted some property returned. Stanek said Kmetz then left his Belle Plaine home and bought some ammunition.
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