5 law enforcement officers hospitalized after shooting west of Princeton, suspect arrested

A man is in custody after five law enforcement members were shot Thursday morning in Glendorado Township.

According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the five people shot are all members of the Sherburne County Drug Task Force and were injured while executing a search warrant at a home in Glendorado Township, located in Benton County between Princeton and St. Cloud.

Three of the task force members who were shot are with the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, while a fourth is from the Princeton Police Department and the fifth is from the Elk River Police Department, the sheriff’s office says.

All five officers are expected to survive their injuries, and two of them, investigators from the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office who were shot in their bulletproof vests, were already treated and released.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS learned three of the officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale while the other two were taken to a St. Cloud hospital. Their names aren’t being released publicly because they were working in an undercover manner, the sheriff’s office says.

“This has been a difficult day for us in Benton County. We’re grateful that the incident did not result in loss of life or further injury,” Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck said Thursday afternoon. “We’re also grateful for the bravery and professionalism of all those law enforcement professionals that were involved in this incident.”

Heck says the task force was executing a warrant at a home along 190th Avenue Northeast near Glendorado Road shortly after 7 a.m. After announcing themselves several times, Heck says the officers came under fire, returned fire and retreated to safety.

It wasn’t until around 10:47 a.m. when the suspect, identified by Heck as 64-year-old Karl Thomas Holmberg, was taken into custody.

Heck says Holmberg was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries but it’s not clear how he was hurt or the extent of his injuries. A woman who was inside the home at the time was also taken to a hospital for evaluation and then released.

“I’ve talked with my deputies and they are both doing well. I’ve had a chance to talk to my partners and we’re all encouraged by what we’re finding from the officers right now,” Heck said.

As for any requests from the public, Heck noted the law enforcement community showed up in large numbers to help, with members from several agencies responding to the scene.

“I think right now I would ask that you keep all of them and their families and all of our agencies in your thoughts and prayers,” Heck said.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) responded and is investigating the incident. However, the agency isn’t releasing much information at this time.

BCA Special Agent in Charge Michelle Frascone noted the agency is reviewing body-worn and squad cameras that may have captured parts of the incident.

“We know incidents like what happened today are scary and unsettling for the community. We want everybody to know that we are working as quickly as possible to provide answers,” Frascone said. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we complete our thorough and independent investigation.”