The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the subject involved in the Feb. 21 officer use-of-force incident in Pine City. Pine County sheriff’s deputies shot and injured Leo Henry Hacker, 70, of Pine City. Hacker is still in the hospital for treatment.
As part of its active investigation, the BCA has also identified the deputies involved in this incident. Two of the deputies are on standard administrative leave.
Boston Gilderman fired his department handgun. He has five years of law enforcement experience.
Joseph Mishler fired his department rifle. He has 11 years of law enforcement experience.
Barry Sjodahl fired 40-millimeter less-lethal foam rounds. He has 18 years of law enforcement experience and is not on administrative leave.
According to the preliminary investigation, Pine County deputies were in the area near Hacker’s home on the afternoon of Feb. 21 attempting to serve a warrant. Hacker was wanted for felony second-degree assault with a weapon, among other charges. Deputies spotted Hacker driving his pickup truck. They made verbal contact and ordered him to get out of his vehicle. Hacker backed the truck away from the deputies, then started pulling forward and to the left. That’s when the deputies fired lethal and less-lethal rounds, striking Hacker three times. The deputies pulled him from the truck and gave him medical care until he was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The deputies were wearing body cameras that captured portions of the incident. BCA agents are reviewing the video as part of the ongoing investigation. BCA crime scene personnel did not recover any weapons from Hacker’s vehicle.
The Pine County Sheriff’s Office asked the BCA to investigate this incident. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without a charging recommendation to the Pine County Attorney’s Office for review.
