Itasca County deputy shot Monday now at home recovering

GRAND RAPIDS — An Itasca County deputy who was hospitalized Monday, May 4, is home after he was shot during a call in the small community of Max.

Around 20 vehicles from the sheriff’s office, Minnesota State Patrol and Grand Rapids Police Department escorted the deputy past the county government building in Grand Rapids Tuesday afternoon. County staff and commissioners gathered outside to wave.

Sheriff Joe Dasovich said the convoy came about organically, with law enforcement partners in Duluth wanting to send the deputy off.

The deputy was shot in the thigh Monday afternoon about 20 miles northwest of Deer River, while serving a warrant for failure to appear for a sentencing hearing in an assault case.

Dasovich said there has been "misinformation" about the incident and that the officer did not accidentally shoot himself.

The sheriff told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Monday night that the target of the warrant went for the deputy’s sidearm.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the incident.

The alleged assailant was not yet charged as of Tuesday afternoon, though Dasovich said he will be charged with additional crimes.

KAXE does not generally name the accused before charges are filed. The sheriff did not identify the deputy.

Dasovich told the Itasca County Board the bullet missed a major artery by just an inch.

"He's in a lot of pain. He's gonna have a road to recovery," Dasovich said in an interview after the meeting. "He’s strong and ready and wants to get back to work, so we're going to do everything we can to support him."