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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 8/12/2014
SUBJECT: Names Released in Officer Involved Shooting
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen (218) 390-2232

NATURE OF INCIDENT: Names Released in Officer Involved Shooting
CASE NO.: 14175698
INCIDENT DATE: 8/11/2014
INCIDENT TIME: 3:49 AM
INCIDENT LOCATION: 3200 block Piedmont Avenue

On Monday, August 11th, 2014 at 3:49 AM Duluth Police were called to a residence in the 3200 block of Piedmont Avenue on a domestic disturbance and arrived at 3:58 AM.

 While enroute to the call officers were advised that the female resident’s 34 year old husband had cut himself with a knife and was bleeding. Additionally, the husband had popped her air mattress.
Officers arrived and were speaking with the female resident when her husband ran past them into the basement. Officers could see when he ran by he had an unknown object in his hand. Several officers arrived on scene, went downstairs and found the subject had locked himself in a room. Blood was visible on the floor, underneath the door. Officers heard the subject say he wanted to die and he had a half hour left before he bled out. Officers requested the subject come out numerous times, he refused. Officers eventually forced open the door and the canine was deployed. Officers ordered the subject to drop the knife, the subject didn’t comply and one officer fired his weapon striking the subject at approximately 4:14 AM. No one else was injured. Officers immediately rendered first aid.
The subject was transported to a local hospital for his injuries. He is currently in critical, but stable condition. The officer who fired his duty weapon is a 7 year veteran of the Duluth Police Department. He is on paid administrative leave which is standard procedure in these cases.
The Duluth Police Department requested the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) investigate the incident. No additional information will be released at this time. Updates will be available as the investigation progresses.
UPDATE:
The subject that was wounded is:
  • Joseph Curtis Zontelli, 34 years old
The officer involved is:
  • Officer Marc Johnson, 7 year veteran of the Duluth Police Department
No further information is available at this time. Any further information is part of the BCA’S ongoing investigation.