Body camera video released in deadly, officer-involved shooting in Polk County
By: [Note: There is no bodycam footage of the actually shooting]
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday released body camera footage from a deadly, officer-involved shooting earlier this month.
That shooting killed 42-year-old Lucas Gilbertson. Officers surrounded his home in East Grand Forks on Jan. 9, to serve an arrest warrant related to drugs.
The officer who fired the fatal shot is a member of the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force and will not be identified, as he works undercover.
Valley News Live requested the video just days after the shooting. The video is from the body camera of three Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies and one East Grand Forks Police Officer. It’s been edited to protect undercover officers.
Video shows, from the start, Gilbertson doesn’t comply. When officers finally get someone to come to the door, it’s his mom.
“You Lucas’ mom? Yeah. Is he here? No. Are you sure? Yeah.”
“Do you care if we come and look? Yeah, I do care. I have company right now. You realize if you do know he’s here, you’re going to jail along with anyone else who is harboring him? I do know that.”
Now, officers know Gilbertson is home and that he’s armed. They call for backup.
Officers give repeated commands for him and others to come out of the home. At one point, Gilbertson does.
However, video shows he goes back inside and officers follow him. A short time after, shots ring out.
Officers rush into the house. Video shows them calling for an ambulance, while still trying to get Gilbertson to stop resisting.
Officers were able to get Gilbertson’s mom and another man out of the home safely. The video ends with officers running to get a med bag. Gilbertson was taken to Altru Hospital, where he later died.
The shooting happened 14 days ago. Under a new Minnesota law, agencies are required to share body camera footage any time use of force is involved. They have to share it with families after five days. It’s then open to anyone who requests it after two weeks. This is all in an effort to improve transparency.
Gilbertson had run-ins with the law before. In 2016, Valley News Live reported on his arrest for fleeing, burglary and being a felon with a firearm. More recently in 2022, he faced 13 charges in connection to a series of burglaries