Robert Edward Davis Obituary, Death; – On Friday, the family identified the individual who was fatally shot by Coon Rapids police earlier this week during what officials described as a domestic disturbance.
The incident involving gunfire took place around noon on Wednesday at a residence located in the 300 block of 111th Avenue NW, according to police reports. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identity of the suspect or provided further details regarding the nature of the domestic conflict or the relationship between the individuals involved.
Ed Davis confirmed that the deceased was his father, 66-year-old Robert Edward Davis, who resided at the location of the shooting. The son stated on Friday that his father “was not a woman abuser. My father had a 2-inch tumor on his brain. My father was the kindest person you would ever meet. … He was sick. This was in no way shape or form a domestic issue.”
According to a statement from the police:
A woman contacted the police around noon, reporting that a man had cut her with a knife. Another man was also present in the residence.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with the suspect from outside the home in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. They could hear a woman screaming from within. The woman and the other man soon exited the residence. An ambulance transported the woman to a hospital for medical care, while the man accompanying her was unharmed.
The suspect, still in possession of the knife, refused to exit the residence and surrender. Officers responded by deploying a “less lethal round” of ammunition. As the suspect retreated further into the home, officers pursued him in an attempt to effectuate an arrest. However, “he continued to wield a knife.” A second officer discharged another less lethal round.
When the man advanced toward the police, “a third officer discharged a firearm, striking the suspect. As the suspect attempted to rise, a fourth officer deployed a Taser.”
Police rendered medical assistance to the man before he was transported by ambulance to nearby Mercy Hospital, where he subsequently died.
Body cameras worn by the officers recorded the entire incident. The officers involved have been placed on standard administrative leave.
In accordance with standard procedure, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the incident.
