Iowa State Patrol arrest wanted man for Dec. shooting near Rochester gym

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that a man who was wanted for second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon involving a firearm for a shooting that happened back in Dec. 2022 has been arrested.

Jesse James Johnson, 39, was arrested on Feb. 10 in Worth County, Iowa by Iowa State Patrol.

According to Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on Johnson and he fled the officers. A short time later he was taken into custody and booked into the Worth County Jail.

On Dec. 14, Olmsted County deputies with a warrants unit and the regional Violent Crime Enforcement Team tracked and located a vehicle for Johnson with violent warrants. As deputies made their approach, Johnson was able to get to his car and he rammed into two law enforcement vehicles. One deputy then shot at Johnson’s car.

Johnson was able to drive away from the scene. The scene was outside a gym off Highway 14 and 15th Avenue SE.

Deputy Sean Cooper fired his department handgun. Deputy Cooper has been with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office for three years, and has been a police officer for a total of 17½ years.

Johnson has additional charges pending in Iowa.

When Johnson is available for release from Worth County proceedings, the extradition process will begin to return him to Olmsted County.