August LaFeen (Image courtesy Kandiyohi County)

The Willmar man who was shot by Willmar Police last week was trying to commit “suicide by cop.” Court records say last Thursday, 56-year-old August LaFeen was upset that his probation on a previous offense was going to be extended, so he drank vodka and threatened to kill his probation officer. When police officers Ross Livingood and Joe Schaefbauer showed up at LaFeen’s apartment building in Southwest Willmar, LaFeen appeared at the door with what later turned out to be a CO-2 powered pellet gun in his hand. He refused to drop it, and threatened his probation officer again. At this point Livingood shot him, striking him in the hand, and Schaefbauer TASED him and arrested Lafeen. He was treated for his wound and other minor injuries, and he later told police that had he wanted police to kill him.

Court records say LaFeen has been arrested 6 times since February of 2013 for DWI, disorderly conduct, theft, and most recently in December of 2018 for 5th Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. He served 4 days in jail, and was placed on probation until January 2022. One of the provisions of probation was not to consume drugs or alcohol.

LaFeen is now charged with 6 felony counts of Terroristic Threats, and in Court last Friday, he asked for a court appointed attorney, and Judge Jenna Fischer set unconditional bail at $100,000. His next court appearance is December 29th.

(JP Cola, KWLM)