Update: Itasca Co. Deputy Injured in Struggle After Gun Goes Off Identified

The Itasca County deputy who was injured in an altercation earlier this week has now been identified.

On the afternoon of May 4, Itasca County deputies were called to a home in the community Max, located northwest of Deer River, in an effort to locate 18-year-old Elias Harper and arrest him on an outstanding warrant.

The Sheriff’s Office says that when deputies located Harper, he physically resisted arrest. During the struggle, a deputy’s firearm discharged while in the holster, striking Deputy Michael Cowan in the thigh.

Cowan was transported to Essentia Health in Duluth for treatment of his injuries and was released from the hospital the following day. He is expected to make a full recovery. Deputy Cowan has served the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office since 2017.