STANDOFF RESULTS IN THE ARREST OF SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS

On March 16, 2017 at approximately 3:40 AM, Beltrami County Sheriff’s Officer 911 Dispatch Center received information from a distraught female stating that she needed help before the call was abruptly disconnected. As attempts were made to get the female caller back on the phone, Beltrami County Deputies and Leech lake Tribal Police Officers were dispatched to the scene, located in the 100 block of Mission Road SE in Ten Lakes Township, located approximately 14 miles southeast of Bemidji, MN.

Upon arrival, Officers made contact with the very distraught female caller, who stated the persons in the residence may have been armed with firearms.

Further information was gathered at the scene, which included learning that the subjects in the residence were actively barricading themselves in the residence. Attempts to negotiate with the individuals in the home were initially unsuccessful, prompting a response from the Headwaters SWAT Team being dispatched to the scene.

Negotiations continued which resulted in limited success as some of the individuals exited the home. Shortly before 7:00 AM tear gas was successfully deployed into the residence, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals.

Personnel from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, and Minnesota State Patrol responded to this incident.

Follow-up investigation has continued and resulted in the arrests of the 16 year old juvenile and his accomplice Damien Allen Ramsey 22 of Twin Valley, MN on existing warrants. These arrests were effected in Bemidji at approximately 1:30PM today by a team of officers from the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Bemidji Police, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, The MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Leech Lake Tribal Police, BIA, Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force and the FBI.

No additional information will be released or is forthcoming regarding this investigation.

Sheriff Phil Hodapp