Robbinsdale standoff: 3 detained, shelter-in-place sent by mistake

ROBBINSDALE, Minn. (FOX 9) - An errant shelter-in-place message after police responded to a domestic situation has authorities explaining what happened, and why residents uninvolved received it.

Around 6:45 p.m. on April 23, officers from the Robbinsdale Police Department responded to the 3600 block of West Broadway on the report of a potentially armed domestic situation involving weapons.

Arriving officers located and detained three people during the incident.

According to police, authorities received "cross information" on potentially more suspects in the home, resulting in officers "containing" the residence. At which point, the Hennepin County Communications Division sent a shelter-in-place notification that was only intended for impacted residents, but was instead unintentionally sent to all of Hennepin County.

Robbindale residents who lived within the one-block radius of the incident were told shelter in place until 10 p.m., but authorities later clarified there was no need for anyone outside the radius to shelter.

On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) said the mistake occurred due to human error within the HCSO's Emergency Communications Facility by a staff member who is certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The step in the alert process that created the mistake has since been identified, according to a press release.

A week ago, a standoff in Minnetonka left two officers wounded, and a suspect dead after police served a search warrant – one that was not for the involved in the shooting.