MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A man killed in a confrontation with police outside a City Council meeting in suburban Minneapolis had a long history of friction with authorities, his son said Tuesday.
Two officers were wounded in the exchange of gunfire, which happened at the New Hope City Hall just outside the City Council chambers after two new policemen were sworn in Monday night. The officers' wounds were not life-threatening.
The man who carried an unspecified long gun was identified as Raymond Kmetz, 68, by his son, Nathan Kmetz, who told the Associated Press that sheriff's officials told him around midnight that his father was dead. His father's disputes with the city dated back to at least 2008, and his son said his father blamed authorities for the loss of his home and contracting business.
"I want people to know there is more to the story than a man walking into City Hall and shooting up the place. This has been boiling up, and they all know this has been boiling up," Nathan Kmetz said.
Authorities released little information about the attack, declining to confirm the gunman's identity or identify the injured officers, but council and hospital records indicate at least one of the officers had just been sworn-in.
A video of the meeting captured the sound of at least six gunshots. City Council member John Elder, a former police officer, is seen on the video drawing his handgun and shouting at others in the room to take cover behind the desk.
"Get down! Get down! Everybody get down!" Elder shouts.
Someone else in the room can be heard saying: "That went right through the door. Somebody got shot."
State and federal court records show Raymond Kmetz had a history of run-ins with city and county officials, including five years of civil commitments for mental illness. The order from his most recent commitment said he had a history of damaging property, assault and terroristic threats dating from 2008, when he rammed a bulldozer into a building in Crystal, then aimed the machine at a police officer and refused to stop until the officer drew his gun. The judge found Kmetz was paranoid and delusional, prone to rage, and that he believed officials were conspiring to take over his property.
Nathan Kmetz blamed local officials for any mental health problems his father may have had.
Minutes show the City Council in 2008 rejected Kmetz's offer to sell his home-and-business property to the city for $950,000. The city manager told the council the property was worth $255,000 and the city had no need for it.
Kmetz also unsuccessfully sued New Hope and several police officers in 2010 after an officer used a stun gun on him. A judge dismissed the case, saying the officer knew Kmetz was wanted for making terroristic threats and acted reasonably.
Court records also show Kmetz was cited for trespassing in August 2013 and ordered to have no direct contact with New Hope City Council members or the city manager. A former attorney for Kmetz also took out a restraining order in 2011.