On January 29, 1996, Brian David Klinefelter, a 25-year-old police officer from St. Joseph, Minnesota, was tragically killed in the line of duty. Officer Klinefelter was attempting to arrest three suspects who had just robbed a liquor store in Albany, Minnesota. The suspects, identified as Thomas Kantor, 26, Michael Roering, 19, and Brian Ederhoff, 26, were traveling in a stolen pickup truck when Klinefelter initiated a traffic stop. As he approached the vehicle, Thomas Kantor pulled out a.
38 caliber pistol and shot Klinefelter multiple times. Despite wearing a bulletproof vest, Klinefelter was struck in the chest, stomach, and neck, and was pronounced dead about an hour later.
Following the shooting, the suspects fled the scene. Kantor forced his way into a nearby house, taking the homeowner hostage and compelling him to drive past police roadblocks. Eventually, Kantor locked the homeowner in the trunk of the car and continued to evade the authorities. Meanwhile, Roering and Ederhoff attempted to escape on foot. They were eventually located by police dogs and a 911 call from a witness who saw them hiding under a deck.
The pursuit of Kantor ended when he was spotted by a Benton County Sheriff's deputy. Kantor exited the vehicle and pointed his gun at the deputy, who then shot and killed him. Roering and Ederhoff were arrested and charged with first-degree murder under a law that allows accomplices to be charged with the crime committed by their co-conspirator. Officer Klinefelter's death was a significant loss to the community, and he was posthumously awarded the first-ever Minnesota Medal of Honor for his bravery and service.
