Hennepin County Attorney’s Office Receives Case in the Killing of Ricky Cobb II

Today, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension submitted the findings of its investigation into the police shooting of Ricky Cobb II to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Yesterday, following notification by the BCA that submission of the case was imminent, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty met with Ricky Cobb II’s family to alert them we would soon be receiving the case and to recommit to a fair decision-making process. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty today released the following statement.

“We thank the BCA for their hard work and we will begin our own thorough review of the case immediately.

“We have learned from the BCA that there are state patrol employees who have thus far refused to cooperate with the BCA’s investigation. These are individuals who are not the subject of the investigation but may have relevant information. We are disappointed by this lack of cooperation as the family, the community, and the troopers involved in this incident all deserve answers. For our part, I am committed to ensuring that our office utilizes all resources available to us to conduct a complete and thorough review, and reaches a decision as quickly as possible.

“We have already identified a use-of-force expert – the type of expert who examines evidence in nearly every case where an officer uses force. Their independent review is a critical part of our process. We selected this expert even before we received the completed investigation so that we could move forward with our work immediately upon receipt of the file. To ensure a fair and just process, we cannot disclose any further information at this time.

“I hear the community calls for an immediate charging decision, but I also know that rushing can lead to mistakes. Thank you for your patience as we work diligently to get this right.”