Suspect Shot, Taken Into Custody After Saint Michael Standoff

Police officers on perimeter after a man fired shots in a Saint Michael neighborhood Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Submitted photo

SAINT MICHAEL—An armed man holed up in a home since yesterday afternoon was shot by officers and has been taken into custody.

Brandon Gardas, 39, was being airlifted to the hospital as of 9 p.m. Wednesday, authorities have confirmed. No officers were injured.

Authorities from multiple jurisdictions had been on scene through the night and following day, with multiple SWAT vehicles and a wide perimeter surrounding the residence.

Neighbors in the area say the suspect—now confirmed by authorities as Brandon Gardas, 39—fired gunshots into the neighborhood and continued to fire shots, though there were no immediate reports of injury.

Saint Michael is about 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

At around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, deputies attempted to make contact with Gardas again at the residence. He refused to cooperate and they had sporadic conversations with him via cell phone and PA. Shortly after 6 p.m., the remaining juvenile male walked out of the residence and was taken from the area to be evaluated by paramedics.

Residents in the immediate area were asked to shelter in place or had already been evacuated.

Sources said they continued to hear gunfire from the suspect as police tried to negotiate with him via loudspeaker. Officers also deployed gas several times in attempts to get Gardas to surrender.

An armored BearCat vehicle was in the area and officers were continuing to hold a wide perimeter Wednesday, with sources saying the Bloomington Bomb Squad and additional armored vehicles from Hennepin County were called in to assist.

Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer said at 4 p.m. Wednesday that Gardas was believed to still be alive inside the residence and armed with a long gun and handgun.

Deringer also confirmed that Gardas was the only person still inside the residence.

Court records show Gardas’ wife, Chelsea Gardas, 37, was taken into custody sometime Tuesday and was being held on a charge of aiding an offender to avoid arrest.

KARE-TV reported that two years ago, law enforcement located dozens of firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, soft body armor, door-breaching equipment, and what’s referred to as a “doomsday room” at the suspect’s home.

Shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday, Gardas was eventually taken into custody after what was described by authorities as an “armed confrontation” and a medical helicopter landed nearby to transport him to a hospital.

The extent of Gardas’ injury has not yet been confirmed, but initial dispatches from medics indicated Gardas had a gunshot wound to the left, upper chest. He was reported to be sedated and vitally stable en route to North Memorial hospital in Robbinsdale.