Authorities ID man fatally shot by Olivia police officer July 4

070721.N.WCT.fatalshooting.1 — A memorial is shown Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in Olivia near the location where a man was fatally shot Sunday by an Olivia police officer. Family and friends have identified the man who was killed as Ricardo Torres Jr. Tim Speier / West Central Tribune

By Mark Wasson

July 07, 2021 at 10:39 AM

OLIVIA , Minn. 鈥� T he man fatally shot early Sunday morning, July 4, by an Olivia, Minn., police officer has been identified as Ricardo Torres Jr., according to the Midwest Medical Examiner鈥檚 Office.

The officer who discharged his firearm was Aaron Clouse, who has been in law enforcement for 11 years, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Clouse remains on standard administrative leave.

According to city officials, Torres, 32, of Olivia, was killed during an altercation with an on-duty officer. A news release stated the individual identified as Torres was armed, though it did not say with what. The release does say that person confronted the police officer in an alley around 2:20 a.m. Sunday, though it does not elaborate on why or how the person confronted the officer.

Torres was taken to Olivia Hospital & Clinic, where he was pronounced dead, according to the city release.

According to Olivia City Administrator Dan Coughlin, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is in charge of the investigation. The BCA wrote in a news release that a shotgun was found near where Torres was shot and that there is no dash camera or other known video of the shooting.

Coughlin confirmed the Olivia Police Department does not use body cameras, though the department's squad cars are equipped with cameras.

A temporary memorial has been erected in the area where Torres was fatally shot.

070721.N.WCT.fatalshooting.3 — A memorial is shown Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in the downtown Olivia alleyway where a man was fatally shot Sunday by an Olivia police officer. Tim Speier / West Central Tribune

Natasha Lindner, who identified herself as Torres' girlfriend of four years and said he is the father to their 9-month-old, told that she is angry and that Torres was a good guy.

"I don鈥檛 think that this was just the cop defending himself at all," Lindner told Fox 9.

Friends and family of Torres told the station that Torres was known to carry a pellet gun and that an officer with the city had it out for Torres.

Coughlin wrote in an email that Olivia Mayor Jon Hawkinson has been active in trying to gain an understanding of the situation and providing support to the BCA.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the BCA at 651-793-7000 .

Olivia is about 25 miles south of Willmar, Minn. The town is the county seat of Renville County.

By Mark Wasson

Mark Wasson is the Minnesota Capitol Correspondent for Forum News Service. Previously he worked as a public safety reporter in Rochester and Willmar, Minn. Readers can reach Mark at mwasson@forumcomm.com.