According to the Star Tribune, police responding to noise complaints from neighbors made a forced entry and sent in a dog. When officers found Birkeland hiding in a closet, he stabbed the dog in the head with a kitchen knife, and police shot him dead.
Victim's Name: John Birkeland
Agency Responsible: Roseville Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Race: White
Date of Death: February 10, 2016
County: Ramsey
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Unreported
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Yes
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: knife
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: Yes
Washington Post Database ID: 1257
Geography: Suburban