A 49 year old Bismarck man is hospitalized after he was shot by Bismarck police officers.
It happened late Monday night, as officers responded to a 9-1-1 call – where a man claimed he was holding two people hostage at gunpoint. But he hung up – and attempts at calling the person back failed. Police were able to ‘ping’ the cell phone, and that led them to the Clem Kelly Softball Complex, in southwest Bismarck.
"While checking the area, an officer saw someone by the tennis courts, who began yelling at the officer, and took off running toward softball diamond #1, and entered the dugout on the north said," Police Sgt. Mark Buschena told reporters. "The officer could see he had something in his hand, like he was holding a handgun wrapped in a shirt."
Buschena said the man did not follow commands from the officer, and made a movement like he was pointing a weapon at teh officer.
"In defense of that officer, three other officers on the scene fired their weapons at the suspect," Buschena said.
49 year old Glenn Allen Lovgren was taken to the hospital – where he was being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. Bushcena said the officers had two shotguns and a rifle. Lovgren was wanted for escaping from the Bismarck Transition Center about a month ago.
In 2011, Lovgren was involved in another potential hostage situation at a Bismarck mobile home park.
Deputy police chief Dave Draovitsch said the area of the softball complex is not well-lit.
"It is dark down there," Draovitsch said. "This could have been a way worse situation for our officers, just in the fact that this person was hiding out in the dark, watching what the officers were doing. And they had no idea where he was."
The three officers are on administrative leave – while BCI investigates.
