I-35 in Faribault shut down: Video shows standoff on highway
FARIBAULT, Minn. (FOX 9) - Traffic cameras show a confrontation between police and a man holding a weapon along Interstate 35 near Faribault, Minnesota, that shut down traffic for hours.
The Rice County Sheriff’s Office released additional details about the standoff on Sunday night.
What we know so far
The sheriff’s office said the incident on July 21 started from a pursuit in southern Minnesota involving an armed suspect.
The driver of the vehicle stopped on northbound I-35, and a man armed with a handgun got out of the vehicle and proceeded to enter the southbound traffic lanes.
Traffic was blocked off along I-35 on the south side of Faribault for hours on Sunday evening, and residents were told to shelter in place.
Traffic cameras along I-35 near Lyndale Avenue North in Faribault show law enforcement diverting traffic around 3 p.m. – in an area that is already facing disruptions due to ongoing construction.
By 4:30 p.m., more squads and an armored SWAT vehicle had pulled up to the scene.
The sheriff’s office explained the man paced around the roadway while armed and authorities instructed him to drop the gun. However, he did not comply and allegedly fired off multiple rounds during the encounter.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the South Metro SWAT and State Patrol Special Response Team used "non-lethal tactics," and the 41-year-old man was taken into custody, said the sheriff’s office.
Shortly before 8 p.m., officers began to clear the scene before reopening traffic moments later.
No one was injured in the shooting.
What do traffic cameras show?
Video from MnDOT traffic cameras shows a confrontation between officers and the driver of a gray sedan on I-35 on Sunday afternoon.
When traffic cameras pick up the action, the gray sedan is being driven on I-35 with a flat tire. The driver eventually stops in the right lane as other vehicles pass. When the driver climbs out of the gray sedan, two other vehicles, which appear to be unmarked police squads, pull up behind the sedan.
As officers get out, the driver points something at law enforcement and backs away. The officers take cover behind their vehicles, drawing their service weapons, while more squads roll up.
The driver continues to back away from law enforcement with something in his right hand.
What we don't know
The sheriff's office press release said the incident started as a vehicle pursuit in southern Minnesota but did not say what started the pursuit or share further details about it.
The 41-year-old man arrested at the scene has not been formally charged as of Monday morning.
