5 drug task force officers and a man have been hurt in a gunbattle at a home in rural Minnesota

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: | Updated:

FOLEY, Minn. (AP) - Five drug task force officers and a 64-year-old man were injured in an exchange of gunfire Thursday as the officers served a search warrant at a property in rural Minnesota, authorities said.

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck said at a news conference that the officers announced their arrival at a home in Glendorado Township around 7 a.m. and immediately came under fire. He said they returned fire and retreated. The officers´ injuries were not life-threatening, Heck said.

Karl Thomas Holmberg was taken into custody around 10:45 a.m. after several hours of negotiations, the sheriff said. Aerial video from KARE-TV showed officers in tactical gear surrounding a shirtless male, then officers and EMTs escorting him on a stretcher to a hospital helicopter. Heck said he didn't know the extent of Holmberg's injuries.

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

Local TV stations showed officers in tactical gear converging on homes in a rural area surrounded by trees and fields, with an armored vehicle nearby. Glendorado Township is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis.

The officers were working undercover as part of the Sherburne County Drug Task Force, and their names will not be released, Heck said.

A Benton County sheriff establishes a security perimeter at the intersection of 186th Avenue NE and Glendorado Road NE near Princeton, Minn., following a "critical incident," Thursday, Oct. 10, 2023. Authorities say a suspect has been arrested after five drug task force officers were shot and wounded while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

A Benton County sheriff establishes a security perimeter at the intersection of 186th Avenue NE and Glendorado Road NE near Princeton, Minn., following a "critical incident," Thursday, Oct. 10, 2023. Authorities say a suspect has been arrested after five drug task force officers were shot and wounded while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Three of the injured officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in the Minneapolis suburb of Robbinsdale, where they remained hospitalized Thursday afternoon. Two others were struck in their bullet-resistant vests were treated then released from CentraCare Hospital in St. Cloud.

Holmberg was also taken to North Memorial, and a woman who was in the home during the shooting was taken to another hospital for evaluation.

Holmberg was already known to law enforcement in the area and Heck said he was not surprised by the shooting.

Court records show Holmberg was convicted of cocaine possession in 1986 and another felony drug possession in 2006. Most recently, in 2019, he was convicted of a petty misdemeanor for not wearing his seatbelt in a vehicle.

It's not clear if Holmberg has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf. Charges have not yet been filed and a public defender has not been appointed, according to the Benton County Attorney´s Office.

One of Holmberg's former lawyers, Todd Young, said he hasn´t spoken to him in years. Messages left for relatives of Holmberg were not immediately returned.

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was investigating, as it often does in shootings involving law enforcement officers. Authorities said they were limited in the details they could disclose Thursday.

"Once our primary investigation is complete, we will be able to share more information about exactly how today´s incident unfolded," Michelle Frascone, special agent in charge at the BCA, told reporters. "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."

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Karnowski reported from Minneapolis. AP reporters Summer Ballantine in Columbia, Missouri; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; and AP news researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.

Law enforcement and helicopters are seen near where officers say has been a "critical incident" on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, near Princeton, Minn. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Law enforcement and helicopters are seen near where officers say has been a "critical incident" on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, near Princeton, Minn. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Police vehicles sit outside a hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, after five officers were shot near the nearby town of Princeton. The suspect wasn't in custody and the incident was ongoing late Thursday morning. Robbinsdale Police Capt. John Elder said three of the officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale while two were taken to a hospital in St. Cloud, Minn. Elder said none of the wounds appeared to be life-threatening. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

Police vehicles sit outside a hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, after five officers were shot near the nearby town of Princeton. The suspect wasn't in custody and the incident was ongoing late Thursday morning. Robbinsdale Police Capt. John Elder said three of the officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale while two were taken to a hospital in St. Cloud, Minn. Elder said none of the wounds appeared to be life-threatening. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

Law enforcement and helicopters are seen near where officers say has been a "critical incident" on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, near Princeton, Minn. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Law enforcement and helicopters are seen near where officers say has been a "critical incident" on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, near Princeton, Minn. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Law enforcement cars line up with helicopters overhead near 185th Ave. NE and Glendorado Rd. NE by Glendorado Lutheran Church in Princeton, Minn., on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Law enforcement cars line up with helicopters overhead near 185th Ave. NE and Glendorado Rd. NE by Glendorado Lutheran Church in Princeton, Minn., on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

185th Ave. NE and Glendorado Rd. NE near what appears to be a staging area at Glendorado Lutheran Church near Princeton, Minn. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

185th Ave. NE and Glendorado Rd. NE near what appears to be a staging area at Glendorado Lutheran Church near Princeton, Minn. Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

185th Ave. NE and Glendorado Rd. NE near an apparent staging area at Glendorado Lutheran Church near Princeton, Minn. on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

185th Ave. NE and Glendorado Rd. NE near an apparent staging area at Glendorado Lutheran Church near Princeton, Minn. on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 Several law enforcement officers were shot and wounded Thursday morning in an incident near the east-central Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. (Anna Haecherl/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Police vehicles sit outside a hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, after five officers were shot near the nearby town of Princeton. The suspect wasn't in custody and the incident was ongoing late Thursday morning. Robbinsdale Police Capt. John Elder said three of the officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale while two were taken to a hospital in St. Cloud, Minn. Elder said none of the wounds appeared to be life-threatening. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

Police vehicles sit outside a hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, after five officers were shot near the nearby town of Princeton. The suspect wasn't in custody and the incident was ongoing late Thursday morning. Robbinsdale Police Capt. John Elder said three of the officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale while two were taken to a hospital in St. Cloud, Minn. Elder said none of the wounds appeared to be life-threatening. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

A Benton County sheriff establishes a security perimeter at the intersection of 186th Avenue NE and Glendorado Road NE near Princeton, Minn, following a "critical incident" that resulted in the shooting of law enforcement officers, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Authorities say a suspect has been arrested after five drug task force officers were shot and wounded while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

A Benton County sheriff establishes a security perimeter at the intersection of 186th Avenue NE and Glendorado Road NE near Princeton, Minn, following a "critical incident" that resulted in the shooting of law enforcement officers, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Authorities say a suspect has been arrested after five drug task force officers were shot and wounded while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Police vehicles line the road near the intersection of 186th Avenue NE and Glendorado Road NE following a "critical incident" that led to the shooting of several law enforcement officers near Princeton, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Police vehicles line the road near the intersection of 186th Avenue NE and Glendorado Road NE following a "critical incident" that led to the shooting of several law enforcement officers near Princeton, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck speaks during a press conference at the Benton County Courthouse following a "critical incident" in Benton County, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck speaks during a press conference at the Benton County Courthouse following a "critical incident" in Benton County, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck speaks during a press conference at the Benton County Courthouse following a "critical incident" in Benton County, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck speaks during a press conference at the Benton County Courthouse following a "critical incident" in Benton County, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck speaks during a press conference at the Benton County Courthouse following a "critical incident" in Benton County, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck speaks during a press conference at the Benton County Courthouse following a "critical incident" in Benton County, Minn., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours. (Tim Evans/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)