Yellow Medicine County, MN – A man is in stable condition after being shot twice by SWAT officers during a nearly 15-hour standoff in rural Clarkfield, according to the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began around 3:15 p.m. on September 14, when deputies responded to a welfare check in Clarkfield. While en route, authorities were informed that the man had left the city and was armed with a rifle in a nearby farm field. As deputies evacuated a neighboring home for safety, the man pointed his weapon at them before fleeing into a residence, where he barricaded himself.
Unable to convince the man to surrender, deputies called in the Kandiyohi-Meeker-Willmar SWAT team. During the standoff, the man fired at officers, and law enforcement returned fire, striking him in the leg. After eight hours, the West Central and BLR SWAT teams relieved the first SWAT unit.
At approximately 6:17 a.m. on September 15, the man exited the home and fired a long gun at SWAT officers, prompting another officer to return fire, hitting him again. The man was airlifted to Hennepin Healthcare, where he remains in stable condition.
No other injuries were reported. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the use of force in the incident.
