The identity of a Windsor man shot by U.S. border guards at the Ambassador Bridge after an altercation with Windsor police on Dec. 21 has been released, as well as the charge he faces south of the border.
Stefan Baraslievski has been charged with using a dangerous weapon to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate and/or interfere with a federal law enforcement officer performing official duties.
According to an affidavit from the U.S. District Court of Michigan, the 22-year-old is accused of assaulting three U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in the incident.
Court documents detail how Baraslievski drove up to the inspection area on the bridge and got out of his black SUV brandishing an Airsoft BB gun and pointing it at officers.
He was reportedly ordered to drop the weapon - which border officers believed to be a real gun at the time - and when he failed to comply officers fired four shots, one of which wounded him in the arm.
One border officer who approached Baraslievski after he had been shot told investigators he said, "Just shoot me. I want to die. It's a fake gun."
Baraslievski was then taken into custody and treated for his injuries.
At least two witnesses waiting to cross the border report seeing Baraslievski stopping his vehicle and exiting with the gun, then fleeing in fear of their safety.
U.S. officials say the BB gun had been painted black to make it look like a real gun, and court documents indicate Baraslievski admitted as much to officials.
He also reportedly told officials he intended to point the weapon at law enforcement officers in an effort to provoke them to shoot and kill him, an attempt at "suicide by cop."
According to the U.S. affidavit, Baraslievski also admitted to calling Windsor police to report a man with a gun at a McDonald's restaurant, himself, and fleeing in frustration after officers did not shoot him.
