Brooklyn Park officer who shot ‘distraught father’ identified

The officer that fired his handgun in a June 23 incident in Brooklyn Park has been identified by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The BCA reports Momodou Dibba, an officer with three months of law enforcement experience, fired a shot that wounded a father allegedly reacting to the death of his infant son. Per a preliminary report, the father had locked himself in his bedroom and told officers he had a gun.

Police say they investigated a report of a baby not breathing just before 4 a.m. on the 8700 block of Queens Gardens North in Brooklyn Park.

The 7-month-old was found in critical condition and was transported to a hospital where he later died.

Police say when the baby’s father, 24-year-old Oronde Reese, learned that his child had died, he “appeared distraught” and went inside the home, locking himself in his bedroom. A resident forced the door open and entered the bedroom with police and discovered Reese in a closet. Reese then allegedly claimed he had a gun.

The BCA reports that “a physical struggle ensued,” and Dibba shot Reese with his department-issued gun. Early reports estimated that police first responded to the property at 3:52 a.m., and the shooting occurred at 4:41 a.m.

Reese was transported to a hospital where he remained in stable condition as of June 26.

Police say a handgun and cartridge casings were recovered at the scene.

The BCA reported that body camera footage is currently being reviewed. Dibba has been placed on critical incident leave as the BCA investigates the circumstances of the shooting at the request of the Brooklyn Park Police Department.

“Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without a charging recommendation to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review,” the BCA report concludes.

Additionally, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the infant’s death.