Suspect Charged, Officer Identified in Gas Station Shooting

In a press release Monday, Dec. 17, Crystal Police Chief Stephanie Fealy confirmed that Jerry Krob was the Crystal police officer involved in last Friday's shooting at a New Hope Holiday gas station.

"Officer Krob is a professional, well trained veteran of this department with several commendations," Fealy said in the statement. " I am confident that this investigation will determine that our officer acted in accordance with department policy and it will be determined that this was justified use of force." 

At about 6 a.m. on Dec. 14, New Hope police responded to a report of a shooting at the gas station.

According to a Hennepin County Sheriff's Office criminal complaint, 38-year-old Eric Landers assaulted three people, including Krob, before fleeing in a stolen car with a gun shot wound.

Landers is charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated robbery and two counts of first-degree attempted aggravated robbery, all felonies.

The incident on Friday began when Landers flagged down a driver in New Hope and requested assistance because his vehicle was in the snow, according to the criminal complaint.

The driver stopped to assist Landers, but stayed in the vehicle and asked how he could help. According to the complaint, Landers came to the driver’s side and "punched the driver in the face multiple times."

Landers pulled the driver out of the car through the window, according to the complaint, and continued punching him. Landers then "jumped in the car" and drove to a SuperAmerica gas station in Crystal where he went into the store and demanded money from a clerk.

The clerk "jumped over the counter" to get away from Landers, but Landers jumped behind the counter where he started punching another clerk.

The clerk who escaped asked Landers why he was "punching an old man," at which point Landers stopped throwing punches and exited the store, leaving behind the wallet from the driver he assaulted earlier.

Landers then proceeded to the Holiday Gas Station in New Hope and asked Officer Jerry Krob, who was off-duty at the time, for money. Krob gave Landers $5. Landers then jumped in Krob's personal car. Krob tried to drag Landers out of the car, but Landers swung at Krob, punching him in the head.

Krob drew his gun, causing Landers to initially stop fighting. Landers began fighting for Krob's gun and started to drive off in his car when Krob fired two shots. According to the complaint, one shot hit the car and the other hit Landers.

Two hours later, Landers called 911 and reported that he was shot.

Minneapolis police confirmed on their Facebook page last Friday that they arrested Landers near Humboldt Ave. S. and the Greenway.