Police: St. Cloud Man Attacked Ex-Girlfriend in Willmar

WILLMAR (WJON News) -- A St. Cloud man is accused of traveling to Willmar and assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Willmar police say at about 6:15 p.m. Thursday they were called to a home in the 400 block of 8th Street Southwest on a report of an assault.

Officers arrived to find a 41-year-old woman with injuries. It was determined that the woman was the owner of the home and that when she came home from work she found her 45-year-old estranged boyfriend from St. Cloud inside.

The victim told police the man held her down, attempted to strangle her with his hands, punched her multiple times in the head and body, and slammed her head against the floor. The victim also believed the man had some type of edged weapon.

Officers learned that the man was still inside the home. While searching the home, officers found the suspect barricaded in a closet on the 2nd floor and had information he may be armed with a knife.

Officers also determined that he was wanted on two felony warrants for fleeing a police officer and a controlled substance crime. Officers attempted to negotiate and de-escalate but the suspect remained enraged and violent. Due to the violent behavior of the suspect and being barricaded in the home, the Willmar Police Department SWAT team was paged for assistance. Continued negotiations were unsuccessful.

The Willmar police department SWAT team used chemical irritants to bring the suspect under control and arrest him. He was medically cleared and then brought to the Kandiyohi County Jail.

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The Willmar police department noted that the suspect in this case has a long history of violence including gun-related crimes and a pending felon in possession of a firearm crime. The suspect has received downward departures in sentencing for those past crimes including greatly reduced probation.

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