That on or about the afternoon of May 16, 2026, a Minnesota state trooper was assigned to protect an active Minnesota Department of Transportation construction work zone on eastbound Interstate 94 near 11th Avenue South, in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. To protect the work zone, the eastbound lanes of Interstate 94 were marked fully closed and all eastbound traffic was being diverted to northbound Interstate 35W. The entrance ramp from 5th Avenue to eastbound Interstate 94 was also closed with multiple cones, barriers, and signs indicating the closure.
At approximately 1:19 P.M., the trooper observed a blue 2023 Subaru Crosstrek (Minnesota license plate [PLATE REDACTED]) traveling eastbound on Interstate 94 on the right shoulder at the start of the road closure. The vehicle breached the closure and the deputy initiated a traffic stop. The deputy approached the driver, identified as Garrett Walker Broms, defendant herein. The defendant said that he was traveling eastbound on Interstate 94 prior to arriving at the construction work zone. He admitted, "I understand that the road is closed," but explained that he wanted to get to the exit for Highway 55 and did not want to take the northbound Interstate 35W detour.
During this conversation, the deputy observed a tactical flashlight attached to a tactical backpack set on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. As a result, the trooper asked the defendant if he was carrying a firearm. The defendant advised the trooper that he had two unloaded rifles in the trunk and a sidearm in the tactical backpack next to him. The trooper asked for a permit to carry the firearm and the defendant provided a permit but explained that it was expired and that he had not renewed it.
The trooper observed the document provided by the defendant, which stated that the permit had expired in September 2025. The defendant admitted that he knew that he did not have a permit to carry and said, "Yes, I should have left it at home, I. Carry for work" as a tow truck driver and "I do apologize, it's my fault, I should have, I should have taken it out of the bag." The defendant admitted that the handgun in the bag was not cased. The trooper arrested the defendant for carrying a pistol without a permit.
A 9 mm Taurus PT-111 Pro Millennium handgun was located in a small front pocket of the backpack. One round was ejected from the firearm while making it safe, and the magazine had at least eight rounds.
