Minneapolis officer who shot fleeing suspect is identified

The Minneapolis police officer who shot a suspect late last month has been identified.

Officer Illya Kuznedtsov, who has been with the Minneapolis Police Department for four months, fired his weapon during a pursuit on Sept. 29. The suspect who was shot, Douglas David Peake, has been charged with possession of a firearm while ineligible.

Officers responded to a vehicle crash on the 2700 block of Bloomington Avenue South at around 6 p.m. Witnesses told officers that Peake, the owner of the vehicle, had exited.

When officers attempted to engage Peake, he fled and produced a handgun, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) says. Kuznedtsov then fired, shooting Peake. Peake continued to flee and did not discharge his weapon.

Peake was later located under a parked car in a driveway on the 2700 block of 16th Avenue South. Peake was treated for the gunshot wound and is currently in the Hennepin County Jail.

The BCA later located a gun believed to be Peake’s in a trailered boat next to the vehicle Peake was hiding under, the BCA says.

Peake admitted in an interview to recently buying the gun despite previous convictions of second-degree assault and threats of violence, court documents say.

Kuznedtsov is currently on administrative leave. The BCA investigation is ongoing.