A man was shot dead by deputies during a traffic stop; they say he fired first, and he’s suspected in a prior homicide.

Donald Felver III, 30, of Duluth, was fatally shot by St. Louis County deputies Sgt. Joshua Berndt and Deputy Matthew Sobczak on Feb. 10 after firing at them during a traffic stop on Grand Avenue near 79th Avenue West. The deputies, who used a PIT maneuver to stop Felver’s vehicle, returned fire after he shot at them from his car. Authorities believe Felver was responsible for a separate homicide earlier that day, when Darrius Handy, 33, was fatally shot in a vehicle on Piedmont Avenue, though the connection is still under investigation. Both deputies have been placed on critical incident leave. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is leading the investigation, reviewing body camera footage and evidence, with findings to be sent to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office without recommendation.