ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – Authorities have identified the suspect shot by St. Paul Police who later died after robbing a grocery store on Monday.
Police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Melvin Duane Fletcher of Brooklyn Park.
Authorities were called to the Kowalski’s Market on the 1200 block of Grand Avenue at about 8:30 a.m. Monday on a report of an armed robbery. When police arrived, Fletcher had fled from the market after the robbery through a back door. Officers located Fletcher and chased him on foot.
In the aftermath of the incident, Fletcher was shot by police. He later died at Regions Hospital. The officers involved in the incident have been identified as Theodore Mackintosh and Jeffrey Thissen. Mackintosh is an 11-year veteran with the department and Thissen has been with st. Paul Police for 10 years.
Both offices have been put on paid administrative leave, which is a standard procedure in these incidents. Authorities said what led up to the robbery and the suspect being shot is still under investigation.
