REGIONAL— St. Louis County Deputy Tim Officer’s Nov. 22 shooting of a Tower man was “reasonable and justified,” according to St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin, who reviewed the incident along with a former assistant county attorney.

Deputy Officer, of Soudan, and other law enforcement officers were in pursuit of Aaron Boshey, 27, of Tower, shortly after midnight at the time of the shooting. The deputy was attempting to arrest Boshey, who had failed to appear in court on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and for fleeing in a motor vehicle.

Boshey had led officers on a vehicle chase for 13 miles before coming to a stop on an unplowed dead-end roadway near the intersection of County Highway 101 and Admiral Road. As Boshey left his vehicle and ran toward the dense tree line, Deputy Officer saw that Boshey was holding a handgun. The deputy fired one shot. Boshey, who was wearing a bullet resistant vest, sustained a bullet wound to his left hand and buttocks.

A search of the area recovered a .38 caliber revolver in the snow along Boshey’s tracks heading into the woods.

County Attorney Rubin and former Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Vern Swanum reviewed the investigative reports submitted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, including reports from the law enforcement officers involved.

Rubin said that Deputy Officer has more than 20 years of experience and training in law enforcement and that he exercised proper judgment and restraint while in pursuit of Boshey.