John VanVorous

How they died

Deadly force

Officers Eric Burmeister, Michael Pfankuch and Sgt. Dennis Weaver responded to a report of broken windows at a gas station around 2 a.m. Burmeister saw a Blazer stop in a nearby alley and then drive around a corner. The officers determined John VanVorphous was driving and pursued in separate cars. After leaving city limits, Weaver ordered Burmeister to return to town. Burmeister instead waited at an intersection where the chase was likely to cross. Weaver and Pfankuch chased the Blazer south on Highway 577. MSP troopers Daniel Bartell and Paul Anderson tried to place stop sticks at Sobieski Road, but VanVorphous passed before they could. The Blazer drove behind Burmeister and turned onto River Road. VanVorphous drove onto the grass, made a loop and headed back toward the road. Police tried to box in the Blazer, but VanVorphous slalomed between their cars, reentered the road and crashed into Burmeister's cruiser. The fronts of both vehicles locked together. The Blazer's engine continued to rev as Burmeister rolled from his car onto the pavement. Bartell tried to smash the Blazer's passenger window with his flashlight and Anderson hit it with his collapsible baton. Burmeister stood up at the edge of his cruiser's front bumper. VanVorphous allegedly tried to drive toward Burmeister and the officers opened fire, killing VanVorphous. Burmeister fired 11 times, and Bartell and Anderson each fired four times.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that John VanVorous, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources