BCA Identifies Man Shot by Crookston Police After Multi-County Pursuit

Apr 10

The man shot by a Crookston police officer after a lengthy high-speed pursuit in northwest Minnesota has been identified.

The chain of events began the morning of Monday, April 7, when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer tried to stop a vehicle at the Pembina Port of Entry in North Dakota.

The driver—now identified as 34-year-old Caleb Ryan Coffey, of Oklahoma—did not comply. Instead, he fled in the vehicle and officers pursued as Coffey crossed into Minnesota, winding through multiple counties.

Law enforcement from across the region responded to assist, including Border Patrol, the Minnesota State Patrol, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Crookston Police Department and others.

Authorities say the chase continued southbound through Crookston on Highway 75 before concluding along a stretch of County Road 9 in rural Polk County, west of the intersection with County Road 16 in Fischer Township. Just after 10 a.m., officers managed to stop Coffey’s vehicle in the westbound lane.

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According to the BCA’s preliminary findings, Coffey exited his vehicle while holding a handgun. It was during this confrontation that Crookston Police Officer Sean Murphy fired his weapon, striking Coffey. Murphy, a seven-year veteran of the force, has since been placed on standard administrative leave.

Law enforcement on scene immediately provided medical aid to Coffey before he was transported by paramedics to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks. He was treated for what officials describe as a non-life-threatening injury and released two days later into the custody of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Coffey is now being held at the Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston.

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No officers were injured during the incident. Investigators have recovered a firearm near where Coffey was shot, and both body camera and squad camera footage were collected for further review. Officials emphasized it’s still an active and early-stage investigation. Once completed, the BCA will forward its findings to the Polk County Attorney’s Office.

The aftermath of the shooting saw a significant law enforcement presence in the area, with County Road 9 closed to all traffic between 350th Avenue SW and 360th Avenue SW for most of the day.

Authorities have not released details about why Coffey was being pursued initially or what may have led him to flee the border crossing.

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