FOLEY (WJON News) — A Benton County man is charged with six counts of attempted 1st degree murder of a peace officer and six counts of 1st degree assault with deadly force against a peace officer.
Sixty-four years Karl Holmberg continues to be hospitalized for treatment of a gunshot wound to his foot.
According to the criminal complaint, several officers were executing a drug search warrant at a home west of Princeton shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday.
Court records show Holmberg’s wife told police she woke up with her husband telling him “they” were there and it was his day to die. She said she heard police outside their bedroom door and Holmberg begin shooting blindly through the door with a .223 caliber rifle.
Police returned fire as they retreated from the house. Six police officers were inside the house and five were struck by gunfire.
A police officer was shot in the arm and remains hospitalized. A second police officer was hit in the chest and hip and remains hospitalized. The third officer was shot in the hand and was treated and released from the hospital. A fourth and fifth police officer were also shot and were treated and released from St. Cloud Hospital. A sixth police officer was inside the house but was not injured.
During an interview with Holmberg at the hospital, he reportedly said he didn’t think the police had a right to be there and told them to leave. Court records allege Holmberg began shooting after that.
After hours of negotiation, Holmberg was arrested without further incident.
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Gallery credit: Brit McGinnis