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A body camera video shows Jah'Sean Hodge running toward St. Cloud Police Officer Devin Dunn. PHOTO/ST. CLOUD POLICE DEPARTMENT
The St. Cloud Police Department cleared one of its officers of any wrongdoing after he shot and killed a man who charged him after he stabbed a 9-year-old girl last year.
Officer Devin Dunn shot and killed Jah’sean Hodge, 21,on May 5, 2020, after police responded to a Georgia Avenue home in reference to a medical assistance call involving a knife.
Police said the 9-year-old victim said Hodge attacked her but didn’t know why.
“He was choking me while he was killing me,” the 9-year-old said in a St. Cloud police report.
She suffered cuts to her neck and face, she had the letter J carved on her forehead and had multiple fractured bones on her face from being stabbed and bludgeoned with a barbell, the report stated.
According to the St. Cloud Police Department internal affairs investigative report, when Dunn and Field Training Officer Thomas Fertic arrived on scene, they saw Hodge between two homes on Georgia Avenue. He was covered in blood from the top of his chest to his waist. Wearing body cameras, Dunn and Fertic gave verbal commands to Hodge, but he continued toward them in an aggressive manner. Fertic saw Hodge walking toward him with his arms bowed out, clenched fists, and “angry face,” indicating he intended to fight, according to the report. Hodge yelled, “You’re gonna have to (expletive) shoot me,” as he walked toward Fertic, the report stated.
Hodge then shifted away from Fertic and ran toward Dunn who was at the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle. Dunn recalled hearing Hodge repeatedly say “Just shoot me!, Just shoot me!” He was unable to assess if Hodge still had a knife because he was approaching them in an “aggressive-aggravated manner,” swinging his arms back and forth, the report stated.
Dunn said he unholstered his firearm for a “precautionary reason” and said, “Stay right where you are.”
Hodge then sprinted toward Dunn swinging his arms as Dunn began to “tactically retreat,” backing up as fast as he could from Hodge, but Hodge was closing the gap between them.
Fertic deployed his Taser, hitting Hodge, but he still sprinted toward Dunn. Dunn estimated Hodge was about a yard to a yard and a half from him, so felt he had no other choice but to discharge his firearm four times until Hodge fell to the ground, the report stated. They then rendered aid, but Hodge died at the scene.
Assistant State Attorney Linda Burdick provided a final disposition on the case.
“Given the totality of the circumstances, it is her opinion that there is no evidence that Officer Dunn used poor judgment, committed intentional misconduct or acted with any degree of malice or prejudice. To the contrary, the evidence suggested he acted in self-defense with force he believed reasonably necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or his fellow officer. Therefore, there will be no criminal charges brought forward pertaining to the actions of Officer Dunn,” the report stated.
