Rochester Police – Man Fired Gun While Being Arrested

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A man with a long history of run-ins with the law was arrested early today following a “shooting incident” at a Rochester hotel.

A statement from the Rochester Police Department says officers were sent to Extended Stay America Hotel just south of the Highway 52/South Broadway interchange at around 12:15 AM to investigate reports of people with guns on the property. A witness told the responding officers that a man with a gun was seen walking through the lobby and the officers located him in a laundry room.

While the officers were attempting to place handcuffs on the man, they reported that he refused to follow their commands and then began to physically resist them. During the struggle, the suspect allegedly reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a gun. The police report says he managed to fire one shot into the floor before the officers could disarm him and it took four officers several minutes to subdue the man.

The suspect was identified as 33-year-old David Collier of Kellogg. He was booked into the Olmsted County Jail on a long list of charges, including attempted murder, second-degree assault, assault on a peace officer, and reckless discharge of a firearm.

Chief Jim Franklin shares, “RPD officers are dedicated professionals who respond to calls for service that often involve people who put police at substantial risk each and every shift. This was a dangerous situation with an armed suspect that could have easily resulted in the use of deadly force. The officers demonstrated courage, skill and quick action, leading to a safe conclusion and the apprehension of the suspect.”

The Police Department statement says Collier was wanted on two active probation violation warrants. His criminal record includes felony convictions for burglary, fleeing police, drug offenses, and domestic assault. One of his more high-profile arrests occurred in 2015 when he led local authorities on a 15-mile-long high-speed chase in a stolen pickup that ended when a State Trooper fired three shots into the vehicle after Collier crashed head-on into a State Patrol squad car and then tried to ram another law enforcement vehicle.