ANOKA, Minn. — Police say one person is in custody after an hours-long standoff Wednesday in Anoka that stemmed from a reported shoplifting incident at a Walmart in Blaine.
Blaine Police Chief Brian Podany said the incident started around 6 p.m. at a Walmart store located on Ball Road Northeast. The store's loss prevention team attempted to stop the male suspect, who reportedly pulled a gun and threatened an employee before fleeing.
A news release says Blaine police identified the suspect and were joined in the search to locate him by members of the Anoka-Hennepin Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force, Minneapolis Police Department, FBI and Minnesota State Patrol.
The man was eventually located in the parking lot of a business on the 600 block of East River Road in Anoka, according to the chief. That's where the suspect allegedly rammed multiple law enforcement vehicles before becoming "trapped" at the scene by police.
Authorities say the event then turned into a hostage situation as the suspect's girlfriend was a passenger inside his vehicle.
Anoka County Sheriff SWAT and Anoka PD SWAT teams along with a negotiator were summoned to the scene and after several hours, the suspect agreed to surrender and was taken into custody around 11 p.m. without incident. There were no injuries to the female passenger or any officers.
The suspect was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and then booked into the Anoka County Jail on multiple offenses involving Wednesday's incident and also on active arrest warrants from multiple jurisdictions. The case has been forwarded to the Anoka County Attorney’s office for consideration of charges.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist: