BCA identifies man, officer involved in Rochester fatal shooting

(ABC 6 News) – The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the man, and officer, involved in Saturday’s fatal shooting in Rochester.

The Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Tuesday the man who died as 27-year-old Joshua Clayton Hippler, and that Hippler died of multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso.

The Rochester Police Department officer who fired his department handgun has been identified as Officer Michael Bottcher, who has been with RPD for one year. He is on standard administrative leave.

In a press release issued by Rochester police on Saturday, it’s believed Hippler robbed a Domino’s Pizza on Broadway Avenue South in Rochester Friday night and fled in a van. Officers located that van early Saturday morning and conducted a traffic stop on Highway 63 near the Highway 52 overpass.

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RPD said on Saturday that a preliminary report indicated Hippler got out of his vehicle with an ax and charged toward an officer and the officer shot.

The BCA said crime scene personnel recovered a knife and ax at the scene and from Hippler’s vehicle.

The BCA also said the shooting was captured on body camera.

The body camera footage will be released on the BCA’s website after the case is fully closed and goes through redaction, public information officer Bonney Bowman said.

The incident continues to be under investigation, once that is complete the BCA will present its findings, without recommendation, to the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office for review.