Injured deputy, suspect in Minnetonka shooting identified

Josh Skluzacek KSTP
Credit: KSTP

The deputy who was hospitalized after a shooting earlier this week in Minnetonka and the man who allegedly shot him have now been publicly identified.

On Friday, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said Christopher Heihn, an eight-year veteran of the department, was the deputy hospitalized after the executive of a warrant escalated to an exchange of gunfire on Wednesday in Minnetonka. Another deputy was also treated at the scene for a non-gunshot injury and hasn’t been publicly identified.

Heihn was released from Hennepin County Medical Center on Thursday as hundreds of first responders applauded outside the hospital.

The sheriff’s office says he was part of a team that was searching for a person wanted on a felony warrant just before 11:20 a.m. near East Crestwood Drive and Mayview Terrace when shots were fired.

Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt confirmed the armed suspect died at the scene. That man was identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office on Friday as 28-year-old Clint Lavelle Hoyhtya and his cause of death was listed as multiple gunshot wounds.

The shooting led to a shelter-in-place in the area for several hours as several agencies responded to the scene.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is still investigating the incident and hasn’t released any other details regarding the shooting or the warrant at this time.