MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Ramsey County Declines Charges Against Saint Paul Officers Who Shot Armed Suspect on I-94 Ramp

SAINT PAUL, MN (September 15, 2026). The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has determined that two Saint Paul police officers were legally justified when they shot and wounded an armed man during a December confrontation on an Interstate 94 entrance ramp.

Officers Matthew Foy and Byron Treangen III will not face criminal charges for shooting Elliot Samuels Vaughn on December 21, 2025.

The decision followed an independent investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Investigators interviewed witnesses, examined video and physical evidence and submitted their findings to prosecutors for legal review.

The incident began after police encountered a Buick that had been reported stolen by a rental company in Minneapolis.

Authorities said officers contacted General Motors and used vehicle technology to cause the Buick to slow and stop as it traveled from northbound Highway 52 toward westbound Interstate 94.

Vaughn allegedly left the vehicle and ran.

Prosecutors said Vaughn reached into his clothing, removed a handgun and pointed it behind him toward two officers inside a squad vehicle.

Foy and Treangen fired their department-issued weapons. Vaughn was struck in the thigh and fell on the roadway.

He was transported to Regions Hospital and later booked into the Ramsey County Jail after receiving medical clearance.

Investigators reported finding a Smith & Wesson handgun near Vaughn. The weapon allegedly had a cartridge in the chamber and a loaded magazine.

Minnesota law permits an officer to use deadly force when the officer reasonably believes it is necessary to protect someone from death or great bodily harm.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office concluded that the officers’ actions met that standard under the circumstances they confronted.

The decision resolves whether prosecutors will bring criminal charges against Foy or Treangen. It does not determine the outcome of any internal police review, civil lawsuit or administrative claim.

Vaughn has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of motor-vehicle theft.

Those charges concern Vaughn’s alleged actions before the police shooting and remain separate from the county attorney’s review of the officers.

A criminal charge is an accusation. Vaughn is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

The encounter also illustrates law enforcement’s growing use of privately controlled vehicle technology. Officers were able to work with the manufacturer to slow the reported stolen vehicle remotely, preventing a prolonged high-speed pursuit.

That intervention stopped the Buick but did not prevent the armed confrontation that followed.

The BCA commonly investigates shootings involving Minnesota police officers to provide an outside review. The relevant county attorney then determines whether the evidence supports criminal prosecution.

In this case, Ramsey County concluded that it did not.

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