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Sheriff: City Hall shooter killed by police should not have had gun due to civil commitments

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    An emergency personnel member walks outside the New Hope Police Department after two police officers were shot Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 in New Hope, Minn. Two newly sworn-in officers and others were shot at Monday night as they left a New Hope City Council meeting. Two officers were hit, and others returned fire and killed the gunman, Hennepin County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Mike Carlson said. Authorities are not seeking any other suspects and did not identify the gunman or disclose a possible motive. (AP Photo/Star Tribune, Jeff Wheeler) MANDATORY CREDIT; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT; MAGS OUT; TWIN CITIES LOCAL TELEVISION OUT (The Associated Press)

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    This undated photo provided by Nathan Kmetz shows his father, Raymond Kmetz. Raymond Kmetz, who was killed in a confrontation with police outside a City Council meeting in suburban Minneapolis had a long history of friction with authorities, his son said Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. Two officers were wounded in the exchange of gunfire, which happened at the New Hope City Hall just outside the City Council chambers after two new policemen were sworn in Monday night. (AP Photo/Nathan Kmetz) (The Associated Press)

NEW HOPE, Minn. – A man with a history of mental illness who shot and wounded two police officers before he was killed at a City Hall in suburban Minneapolis should not have had access to a gun, authorities said Wednesday.

Raymond Kmetz, 68, had been civilly committed twice for psychological issues, Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek said.

Stanek told a news conference that authorities do not know how Kmetz got the weapon, a "pistol grip shotgun" that had its serial numbers "obliterated," the Star Tribune (http://strib.mn/1yyNViH) reported. Kmetz used the gun to shoot the officers at New Hope City Hall Monday night.

Kmetz called the Hennepin County court system earlier Monday because he wanted some property returned. Kmetz then left his Belle Plaine home and bought some ammunition, the sheriff said.

Around 7:15 p.m., Kmetz entered City Hall and "fired his gun at the officers," Stanek said. Police returned fire, killing Kmetz.

Kmetz's son, Nathan Kmetz, says his father blamed authorities for the loss of his home and contracting business. The Kmetz family is assisting authorities in the investigation, Stanek said.

The two wounded officers are doing well after leaving the hospital Tuesday, according to a sheriff's office spokeswoman. New Hope officers Beau Schoenhard and Joshua Eernisse were just leaving a swearing-in ceremony for Eernisse and another officer when Kmetz opened fire.

The names of the officers who shot Kmetz have not been released.

New Hope Police Chief Tim Fournier said those officers "acted as they should, based on their training."

"I'm incredibly proud," Fournier said. "They did exactly as they were trained. They took down the threat, protected the environment and secured the building."

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com