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Suspect shot in ‘armed confrontation’ during standoff in St. Michael remains hospitalized

The Wright County Sheriff's Office said an armed man with active warrants for his arrest was holed up inside a residence and fired on law enforcement.

ST MICHAEL, Minn. — The man shot by authorities in an "armed confrontation" after a near two-day armed standoff in St. Michael remains hospitalized, according to officials.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said on Thursday that the suspect is awake and alert after being shot at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ending a standoff that began at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. The BCA also confirmed the shooting included a St. Cloud Police Officer.

A prior shooting also occurred around 11:55 p.m. Tuesday involving a Wright County Sheriff's deputy, in which nobody was injured, according to officials.

The Wright County Sheriff's Office says the suspect, a man well-known to law enforcement with a lengthy criminal record, was airlifted to an area hospital.

Sheriff's officials added that no law enforcement personnel were harmed during the confrontation, but the area remained cordoned off into Thursday morning as investigators secured the scene and gathered evidence. 

During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Wright County Sheriff Sean Derringer said a mother and two kids were able to get out of the house Tuesday, leaving no hostages and the man as the sole occupant of the home. 

The standoff ultimately lasted nearly 48 total hours. During the confrontation the suspect allegedly fired a number of rounds at law enforcement, but fortunately, no one was hit.

Deputies were sent to a home on the 500 block of Central Avenue West just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when someone called 911 with a gun complaint. The caller told dispatchers that a man and woman were arguing, and the man was carrying a rifle. 

Deputies responded to the scene and tried to convince the man to surrender.

The suspect was identified by the sheriff's office as a 39-year-old who has active warrants out for his arrest for domestic assault and a felony conviction for possession of a firearm. KARE 11's Lou Raguse reports the suspect's court file reveals deputies and child protection workers have been to the home many times.

Two years ago, after law enforcement located dozens of firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, soft body armor, door breaching equipment, and what's referred to as a "doomsday room" at the suspect's home, one officer wrote, "This is without a doubt one of the most toxic environments I have ever seen children raised in."

The suspect isn't allowed to possess guns due to his felony conviction, and he currently has arrest warrants out for having firearms in spite of that order.

As recently as March of this year, the Wright County Sheriff's Office reported that "the entire family is anti-government, and that it is very likely that a dangerous situation at the residence could quickly escalate."

The neighborhood surrounding the home was barricaded during the standoff due to the volatile nature of the situation, and nearby residents were asked to evacuate.

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