Enterprise Dispatch

Serving the communities of Dassel, Cokato, Darwin, MN, and the surrounding area

BCA provides details about St. Michael standoff


The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has released some details regarding the two-day standoff between law enforcement and Brandon Gardas of St. Michael.

The BCA is reporting that there were exchanges of gunfire during the long standoff including twice when law enforcement officers fired shots. The first came at approximately 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, June 21 when a Wright County deputy shot an unknown number of rounds. Nobody was struck by those bullets. The second came at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when Gardas was struck by gunfire from a St. Cloud police officer. The Wright County Sheriff’s Office termed the takedown of Gardas as “armed confrontation.” It was reported that Gardas fired at law enforcement officers more than once during the standoff.

Gardas is listed in stable condition. He was airlifted from the scene in St. Michael to North Memorial Hospital where he was reported to be “awake and alert,” according to the BCA.

Wright County was initially the lead agency in the standoff, but, as is procedure in Minnesota, when there is an officer-involved shooting, the BCA takes jurisdiction of the case. Any further updates on the case will be coming through the BCA and not the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.

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