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Report: Mankato man shot by police on river was mentally ill

Free Press
Jun 21, 2020

Jun. 21--MANKATO -- State and local authorities are still investigating the April shootout on the Minnesota River that left a mentally ill young man dead.

Four officers from three agencies fired at Austin Dean Heights, 24, after he reportedly robbed a Mankato gas station then shot at authorities as he floated down the river in a raft April 18.

The shooting remains under investigation, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Thursday. The BCA and the Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office are investigating.

The shooting occurred in Kasota Township in Le Sueur County. The Le Sueur County Attorney's Office will review the case once the investigation is completed.

A search warrant application viewable now that courthouses have re-opened provides some additional details about the shooting and about Heights. The revelations include that he had schizophrenia and police had an encounter with him the day before he was killed.

While prior BCA releases described Heights as not having a permanent address, the warrant document says he had an apartment at the Walnut Towers in downtown Mankato.

A little after noon April 18, Heights walked into the BP Expressway gas station on Highway 169 in Mankato with a rifle and a duffel bag. He stuffed food into the bag and left without paying.

Mankato police officers watched surveillance video and recognized Heights from an encounter the day before. A concerned passerby had reported seeing Heights lying on a trail at the Kiwanis Recreation Area, which is across the highway from the gas station.

Heights had a raft and camping equipment and told officers he was going to camp in the park over the weekend. Heights did not show any sign of impairment, so officers decided to let him stay in the park.

Officers spotted Heights in the recreation area again after the gas station incident. They saw him push a raft into the river and float north.

Multiple law enforcement agencies and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources responded to the area and some launched boats into the river.

Heights first shot multiple times at a DNR boat as it approached, according to the warrant. A Blue Earth County Sheriff deputy who was on the boat returned fire.

Heights later fired at multiple officers who were on the shore and at a Nicollet County Sheriff boat.

Officers fired shots trying to deflate the raft. Heights shot again as he was exiting the river. Multiple officers fired back, fatally striking Heights as he climbed onto the eastern bank of the river.

The officers who fired aren't named in the warrant but have been previously identified by the BCA as Lieutenant Jeremy Brennan and deputy James Othoudt, both with the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office; deputy Paul Biederman with the Nicollet County Sheriff's Office; and officer Chris Hendrickson with the North Mankato Police Department. They were placed on standard administrative leave.

Heights fell with his head in the water and multiple guns were visible near him. Before officers approached, the waves pushed Heights into the water. The body sank and was recovered later.

A rifle, shotgun, ammunition and bag with food were among the items recovered at the scene.

A medical examiner determined Heights died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Heights' mother told investigators he had schizophrenia and had been living in a group home until around a year ago. She suspected he had not been taking his medication. She said she did not how how he obtained guns.

The mother said she had had limited contact with Heights over the last year. She believed he was struggling financially because he once called his father and asked for money.

The warrant application sought to search Heights' apartment. A judge authorized the search and investigators seized items including boxes that had contained a rifle and a shotgun and a box of ammunition.

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