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Bloomington man arrested after shootout with police
Law enforcement officials say Richfield police were involved in an "exchange of gunfire" with a man in crisis after they responded to a suicide threat in Bloomington early Friday morning. The man is now being held by the Bloomington Police Department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Richfield police officers who opened fire on a man after he allegedly fired a shotgun at them have been identified by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
The suspect, 36-year-old Andrew James Maxwell, was arrested and charged with first-degree assault against a peace officer. Court records show he has a hearing set for the morning of Aug. 27 and was released from Hennepin County Jail on Thursday, July 11.
READ MORE: Bloomington man arrested after shootout with Richfield police leads to standoff
The BCA identified the following officers involved in the incident as well as the type of force they used:
- Richfield Police Officer Carter Johns fired his department rifle and has 10 months of law enforcement experience.
- Richfield Police Officer Bryan Rosas fired his department handgun and also used "less-lethal force." He has 4.5 years of law enforcement experience.
- Richfield Police Officer Patrick Sheady used 40mm "less-lethal force" and has 10 years of law enforcement experience.
Both Johns and Rosas are currently on critical incident leave.
The incident began in Bloomington just after midnight on July 5 and turned into a standoff that lasted about four hours.
The Bloomington Police Department said Richfield police responded to a suicide threat at a home in the 8700 block of 12th Avenue South in Bloomington because Bloomington police were busy responding to a burglary call at a jewelry store during that time.
While en route, police learned that Maxwell was on the phone with a counselor who was relaying information to dispatch. Officers were told that Maxwell was in his garage pointing a shotgun at the garage door and preparing to shoot them.
Police say they heard Maxwell rack the shotgun shortly after they arrived and then saw the garage door open.
Maxwell then stepped out of the garage holding the shotgun and police responded by firing "less-lethal ammuniton" according to the criminal complaint. Maxwell then fired the shotgun "in the direction of multiple police officers" before he retreated back into his home and closed the garage door.
During the ensuing standoff, Maxwell reportedly refused to surrender and fired the shotgun multiple times in the air toward police drones that were being used to monitor the home and yard.
The criminal complaint also states that while speaking to a police officer, Maxwell admitted to shooting at officers and claimed that they fired first.
Police then arrested Maxwell around 4 a.m. when the drones spotted him trying to leave by climbing the home's fence and sneaking through yards.
No injuries were reported.