Police Investigating What Led To Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Police have released the identity of the St. Paul officer who shot and killed a man on Thursday in the city's West 7th neighborhood.
The incident happened at about 6 p.m on Canton Street. Thirty-year-old Phillip Quinn was shot and killed by Officer Rich McGuire, who has been with the force for seven years, according to St. Paul Police.
Police said they had been called to the home earlier in the day, but wouldn't elaborate why. Family members said police couldn't find Quinn, so they left.
Later on in the day, Quinn's mother called police after she said he started cutting himself. The sister of Quinn's fiance said his mother feared for her life and his, and the ensuing call ended up leading to a deadly confrontation.
His family said Quinn struggled with mental illness. The sister of Quinn's fiance said he was just released from a mental health hospital last Friday, and he was on a waiting list to be placed in an in-patient mental health bed.
According to police reports, officers have been to the house on Canton Street before: five times in the past six months. At least three of those visits pertained to someone threatening to hurt him or herself.
"He didn't threaten anybody," Quinn's fiancée's sister said. "He was trying to elude them, and they kind of cornered him, and whatever he had in his hand, he wouldn't drop. My sister said he was given a command, and within seconds she heard four to six shots."
Quinn leaves behind a 3-month-old baby girl.
McGuire has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure. Officer Joe LaBathe, who was also involved in the incident, has also been placed on administrative leave. He's an eight-year veteran with the force.
