Otter Tail County, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – Todd Ole Burris, a 36-year-old man from Bemidji, is facing seven felony charges in Otter Tail County after a violent encounter with law enforcement on July 9 at the Frazee rest stop.
Burris is charged with:
-
Two counts of first-degree attempted murder of a peace officer
-
Two counts of first-degree assault against a peace officer
-
Two counts of second-degree assault
-
One count of fleeing
Incident Details:
The incident began when the Becker County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance in rural Becker County. The complainant reported that Burris had assaulted the victim, slashed her tires, and taken a firearm before fleeing the scene.
Burris was located by Lt. Luke Sweere in Detroit Lakes, but he fled the scene at speeds exceeding 100 mph, eventually reaching the Frazee rest stop on U.S. Highway 10 in Otter Tail County.
At the rest stop, Burris exited his vehicle and pointed a handgun at Sweere, prompting Sweere and Detroit Lakes Officer Philip Vaughn to open fire. Burris was struck in both legs.
Investigation:
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) responded to the scene, where they observed bullet holes in Burris’ vehicle and blood on the ground. Officers recovered a black semi-automatic pistol and spent shell casings at the scene. Video footage from body cameras confirmed Burris pointing the gun at Sweere before shots were fired.
Burris was transported to Essentia Hospital in Fargo for non-life-threatening injuries. After his treatment, Burris requested a lawyer and was booked into the Otter Tail County Jail on July 14. His first court appearance was scheduled for July 16.
Officer Background:
-
Lt. Luke Sweere has 26 years of law enforcement experience
-
Officer Philip Vaughn has 16 years of experience
Both officers have been placed on critical incident leave pending the BCA’s investigation.
Once the investigation concludes, the BCA will submit its findings to the Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office for review.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.