photo: Mahnomen County Sheriff's Dept.
MAHNOMEN, Minn. – The Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office has released body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred in Mahnomen County on March 13, 2022.
The BCA says a deputy was trying to stop a car driven by Shequoya Basswood of Mahnomen for speeding on Highway 200. That officer’s car slid into the ditch and Deputy Dakota Czerny picked up the pursuit.
Czerny forced Basswood’s car into the ditch in Naytahwaush. Two of the six people in the car ran, including Basswood. Investigators say she was shot when she showed a handgun.
“The purpose of releasing this segment of video is transparency,” Mahnomen County Sheriff Josh Guenther said. “There is a narrative being pushed through social media from a coalition out of the Twin Cities area stating that Deputy Czerny attempted to murder Basswood. This coalition has created a ‘Wanted’ poster regarding Deputy Czerny, which raises serious questions about Deputy Czerny’s safety. The intent of releasing this video is to make the public aware of the facts.”
The video, which can be seen below, begins showing Basswood and another female standing outside the suspect vehicle when Deputy Czerny ordered them to place their hands on the vehicle while he was retrieving additional sets of handcuffs from his squad car.
Deputy Czerny approached the females and began to place handcuffs on the other involved female. At one point Deputy Czerny saw a gun in Basswood’s possession and began to retreat away from her, drawing his firearm, and ordering her to drop the gun. Basswood then turned toward Deputy Czerny, cycled the action on the firearm, and pointed it at him. Deputy Czerny fired his firearm, striking Basswood. The video ends at that point.
Basswood survived the incident after being hospitalized in Fargo and was charged with 1st Degree Assault, 1st Degree Murder – Attempt, Felon Convicted of Crime of Violence – Firearm or Ammunition Violation, Possession of Ammo/Any Firearm, Fleeing a Police Officer, and Carry/Possesses Pistol Without a Permit.
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