In the early winter of 2015, the community of Rochester, Minnesota, was shaken by the unexpected death of Mitchell Jensen, a 49-year-old Caucasian male. On December 2, 2015, Jensen, a police officer with the Rochester Police Department, was found deceased in Essex Park. The cause of death was determined to be a single gunshot wound to the head, and authorities have consistently treated the case as an apparent suicide.
At the time of his death, there were no suspects or arrests made in connection with the incident.
Just a day before his body was discovered, Mitchell Jensen had been placed on administrative leave from the police force. An off-duty criminal investigation had been initiated against him following a complaint from a member of the community. The specifics of the allegations that prompted the investigation have not been publicly disclosed. Authorities stated that the investigation would continue despite his death in order to resolve the allegations.
Mitchell Jensen had been a member of the Rochester Police Department for nearly six years and was described by his chief as an exemplary officer. Prior to his career in law enforcement, he had served for 24 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. His death was a profound loss for his family, friends, and colleagues in both the police department and the military.
