Updated: Jury Decides Not to Indict Woodbury Officers Involved in Red Roof Inn Shooting

Update: 3:20 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25

Public Safety Chief Lee Vague released the following statement on the decision not to indict the officers.

“I wish to thank the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office for their thorough investigation and independent review of this incident. I appreciate the Grand Jury’s analysis and I respect their conclusion. Today my thoughts go out to all those who are affected by this incident. At this time, all questions should be directed to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.” 

Original post

A jury has opted not to indict the three Woodbury police officers who shot and killed a man during a hostage standoff at a motel in August 2012.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office had been handling the case to avoid a conflict of interest, and the decision was made Thursday, according to a Pioneer Press report.

The officers shot the unarmed man at the Red Roof Inn during the Aug. 31 incident. A shot was fired as he fled the room, and police returned fire. Mark Eric Henderson, 19, of St. Paul, later died at Regions Hospital as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

The man who investigators believe fired the initial shot, Demetrius Santrell Ballinger, of Stillwater, .

The officers involved in the shooting—Tony Ofstead, Stacey Krech, and Natalie Martin—were placed on paid administrative leave for a time following the incident.

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