BOWLUS — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension named the officers who fired weapons and the man killed Thursday, April 28, during a shooting in Bowlus.
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man who died as Charles Francis Bangs, 59, of Fergus Falls. Michael Gene Johnson, 51, also of Fergus Falls, suffered injuries from the gunfire during the incident.
The officers who shot their firearms are Minnesota State Trooper Megan Boser and Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dale Haberer.
Boser has been with the Minnesota State Patrol for four years. Haberer has been with the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years and is a member of the West Central Drug Task Force. Both officers fired their department-issued handguns.
The BCA reported the West Central Drug Task Force was looking for Bangs as part of a narcotics investigation.
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At about 3 p.m. Thursday in Mille Lacs County, a Minnesota state trooper stopped a vehicle Bangs was driving, along with passengers Johnson, a 32-year-old Moorhead man, and another man. A Mille Lacs County deputy also responded to the traffic stop.
At one point, the trooper asked Johnson to exit the vehicle. He refused and pushed the trooper by reaching through an open car door and a scuffle ensued. Bangs then drove away from the scene and led officers on a pursuit.
During the pursuit, a substance was thrown from the vehicle. A Mille Lacs County deputy recovered the item, which was submitted for testing. The pursuit ended with Bangs’ vehicle leaving the area.
About 6 p.m., law enforcement again located Bangs near Bowlus in Morrison County. Bangs again fled in his vehicle with Johnson and the 32-year-old man. Officers were able to stop the vehicle and at one point shot their guns, striking Bangs and Johnson.
Bangs died at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds. Johnson was transported for treatment and was released into the custody of the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently in custody at the Mille Lacs County Jail, pending charges related to the traffic stop earlier in the day.
The 32-year-old man also faces a charge related to an earlier incident, according to the news release.
The BCA recovered a handgun at the scene. Boser wore a body camera and had a working squad camera, both of which captured portions of the incident.
The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office requested the BCA investigate the incident. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation to the Morrison County Attorney’s Office for review.
