The Dakota County Attorney’s Office announced this week that a Ramsey County sheriff’s deputy was justified in his use of deadly force when he struck a suspect on foot who had fired gunshots toward officers in Mounds View last fall.

The suspect who later died of his injuries—Troy Engstrom, 48—could be seen on squad camera video Sept. 22, 2021, firing a gun at an officer’s vehicle. It struck the vehicle once but the officer was not injured.

Sgt. Don Rindal wrote in a statement to investigators, included below, that he believed his actions were necessary to protect himself, other officers and the surrounding public.

Officers were initially called to the AmericInn Hotel in Mounds View that day for a report of a suicidal man and a reported gunshot heard from inside a room.

Officers found Engstrom walking nearby and armed with a gun. Engstrom fired two gunshots toward a Mounds View police officer and shortly after, Sgt. Rindal drove his squad SUV into Engstrom, which pushed him through a wooden fence.

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Engstrom was transported to the hospital by ambulance but later died.

A summary of the investigative file, the legal analysis and basis for the charging determination are below.

OFFICE OF DAKOTA COUNTY ATTORNEY

KATHRYN M. KEENA

COUNTY ATTORNEY

In the Matter of the Death of Troy Engstrom – Charging Decision

I. Introduction

As described fully below, Sergeant Don Rindel of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office used deadly force during an incident that resulted in the death of Troy Engstrom. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (“BCA”) was the lead investigative agency for this incident. The Dakota County Attorney’s Office1 reviewed the BCA investigation and the lawfulness of the actions of the above-named officer who intentionally struck Mr. Engstrom with his SUV squad during the course of the incident resulting in the death of Mr. Engstrom. On January 25, 2022, the Dakota County Attorney’s Office received the full investigative file from the BCA. The following is a summary of the BCA investigative file and the charging determination based on the evidence presented.

II. Case Summary

A. Summary of Facts.

On September 22, 2021, at approximately 6:20 a.m., Officer Sydney Dison and other officers of the Mounds View Police Department responded to the AmericInn Hotel located at 2200 Mounds View Boulevard in Mounds View upon a report of a suicidal adult male in Room 115. The room was registered to Troy Allen Engstrom, age 48. A hotel employee reported that a female guest came to the front desk and reported that her boyfriend (i.e., Troy Engstrom) was threatening to commit suicide and may have a gun. After reporting this, the female exited the lobby. The reporting employee did not know whether the female returned to Room 115. The female was later identified as MW.

Two officers undertook surveillance of Room 115. In the meantime, the reporting employee reviewed hotel surveillance video and determined that MW had exited the front doors of the hotel and drove off in a dark colored SUV. Officers decided to clear the scene because Mr. Engstrom was in the room by himself and officers did not want to escalate the situation; and at this time they did not know the identity of MW so were unable to contact her to confirm what she reported to the hotel employee about Mr. Engstrom being suicidal.

After officers cleared from the hotel, a different hotel employee called Officer Dison and reported that “Melissa” called the front desk to get an update on Mr. Engstrom. The employee provided Officer Dison with the phone number “Melissa” called from. Officer Dison called the number and spoke to “Melissa” and fully identified her as MW. During the conversation, MW reported the following facts. Mr. Engstrom was her boyfriend and they were staying in the hotel room together.

Mr. Engstrom was in possession of a handgun belonging to MW described as a 9mm Taurus. While together in the room that morning, Mr. Engstrom pointed the gun at his own head and said, “I’m going to shoot myself. I’m gonna die today.” MW asked him why and he replied, “I can’t stand myself.” MW told him that if he was going to kill himself, he better take her with him. Mr. Engstrom pointed the gun at her and said, “Fine if you wanna come with me.” MW told him, “I’ll see you in hell.” MW exited the room and after doing so, she heard a gunshot. She re-entered the room and saw Mr. Engstrom sitting down. He had not shot himself. MW again exited the room, took Mr. Engstrom’s vehicle, and drove to a residence in Circle Pines.

At approximately 10:40 a.m. on that same date, officers were again dispatched to the AmericInn Hotel after a maintenance worker discovered someone had fired a gun from inside Room 115 causing damage to the door and the wall directly across from the room. Surveillance video was reviewed and showed that this occurred at 5:30 a.m. that morning. The surveillance video also showed a male tucking a gun into the waistband of his pants.

Deputy Chief Ben Zender of the Mounds View Police Department had been monitoring this situation throughout the morning. Upon learning the new information that Mr. Engstrom had pointed a gun at MW and had discharged a firearm inside the hotel room, Deputy Chief Zender determined that Mr. Engstrom needed to be taken into custody and gave that directive.

Statement of Officer Riley Solz

After the directive was made, one of the officers who responded to the hotel was Mounds View Police Officer Riley Solz. Officer Solz provided a written statement in which he reported the following facts. While at the hotel, Officer Solz and others started formulating an arrest plan to apprehend Mr. Engstrom. While doing so, Officer Solz requested the assistance of Sergeant Don Rindal of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.

While working on the arrest plan, hotel staff reported they saw Mr. Engstrom enter the Mermaid Bar. Officer Dison aired a description of Mr. Engstrom and also communicated that Mr. Engstrom was wanted for felony domestic assault and felony reckless discharge of a firearm. Officer Solz heard Trooper Timothy Koehler air that he believed he had seen Mr. Engstrom on foot walking westbound on Mounds View Boulevard. Officer Solz next heard Officer Nick Erickson of the Mounds View Police Department air that he was with a male at County Road H2 and Jackson Drive matching the description of Mr. Engstrom.

Officer Solz responded to that location and while enroute, heard someone call “shots fired” multiple times on the radio. When he arrived at the location, he observed Officer Erickson’s squad parked facing east in the westbound lane of County Road H2; and observed Trooper Koehler’s squad parked directly behind Officer Erickson’s squad. As he was parking, Officer Solz saw Sergeant Rindal’s squad reversing down an embankment on the north side of the road that led to a residential backyard. Officer Solz approached the scene and saw Mr. Engstrom on the ground – he was moving and breathing. Officer Solz, Sergeant Rindal, and Trooper Koehler provided first aid until paramedics arrived and transported Mr. Engstrom to the Hennepin County Medical Center. Officer Solz rode in the ambulance with Mr. Engstrom and assisted medics in caring for him.

Statement of Trooper Timothy Koehler

Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Timothy Koehler provided a written statement in which he reported the following facts. Trooper Koehler was working on September 22, 2021, and at approximately 11:28 a.m., he responded to the AmericInn Hotel in Mounds View to assist the Mounds View Police Department in locating Mr. Engstrom. Trooper Koehler was advised that Mr. Engstrom was wanted in connection with a domestic assault and for discharging a handgun through a hotel room door earlier that morning. Trooper Koehler was provided with a description of Mr. Engstrom. Information was received that Mr. Engstrom had left the hotel and was walking towards the Mermaid Event Center. Trooper Koehler was tasked to monitor the west side of the hotel.