Dennis Hoie, a soft-spoken Vietnam War veteran and longtime member of American Legion Post 16, was fatally shot by a deputy in Bagley, Minnesota, after a tense confrontation Thursday afternoon. According to his family, his battle with PTSD and other mental health struggles “tragically took his life.”
Hoie’s identity was confirmed in a heartfelt Facebook post by a relative, who remembered him as “a more soft spoken, kind, gentle man” and noted he’d been with Post 16 for fifty years. The same post said he had missed a recent court hearing, which resulted in an active felony warrant — the spark that set this fatal chain of events in motion.
According to the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 12:12 p.m. when a deputy on patrol spotted Hoie at a Cenex gas station on Central Street West. The deputy recognized him, approached to make the arrest, and a struggle broke out. Hoie broke free, climbed into his vehicle, and sped away.
A pursuit followed along Highway 2, with the vehicle weaving in and out of residential yards. Backup from other Clearwater County deputies and Bagley police officers joined in. Despite efforts to block him, Hoie continued, eventually driving off the road into a yard on McDougal Avenue NW, where the chase ended.
Once the car stopped, officers approached to pull Hoie out — and that’s when things turned deadly. Authorities say he fired a “flare-type projectile” toward the law enforcement officers. In response, a deputy fired back, striking Hoie. Despite life-saving measures by first responders and the Bagley Sanford Ambulance, Hoie died at the scene.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has launched a full investigation, as is standard in officer-involved shootings. Meanwhile, Hoie’s family has issued a humble and compassionate request: prayers for both Hoie’s loved ones and the deputy who fired.
Those closest to Dennis say he is survived by his sister and three brothers, who are now left to grieve a gentle soul taken too soon.
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