Five officers were shot and wounded in a standoff with a barricaded suspect near Princeton, Minnesota, on Thursday morning, authorities said.
Police officer Minnesota
The incident began around 9 a.m. when officers from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota State Patrol responded to a report of a domestic assault at a residence in Glendorado Township, about 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
According to Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck, the suspect fired multiple shots at the officers as they approached the house, hitting five of them. The officers returned fire and retreated to a safe location.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside the house and continued to fire sporadically at the officers and a SWAT team that arrived at the scene. The standoff lasted for several hours as negotiators tried to communicate with the suspect and persuade him to surrender peacefully.
The five wounded officers were transported to two hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Three of them were treated and released, while two remained hospitalized in stable condition.
The suspect was identified as Tyler Janovsky, 37, who had a history of domestic violence and drug-related charges. He was wanted for violating an order of protection that prohibited him from contacting his ex-girlfriend, who lived at the house where the shooting occurred.
Around 2 p.m., Janovsky surrendered to the authorities and was taken into custody. He was also injured in the exchange of gunfire and was taken to a hospital for treatment. He is expected to face multiple charges of attempted murder of a peace officer.
Heck said that the incident was “a tremendously sad situation” and praised the bravery and professionalism of the officers involved. He also thanked the public for their support and prayers.
Sources:
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