Large police presence in Oakleaf Townhomes neighborhood as police search for suspect
UPDATE - According to the Burnsville Police Department, around 10:24 PM on Sunday, March 12th, officers were called to a residence on 17th Ave for an original domestic situation between a male and female occupant at this residence. Before Burnsville Police Officers arrived on the scene, the male subject fled the residence on foot. Burnsville Police report they were investigating the incident when they found fresh footprints in the snow and later located a backpack in the snow with the male subject seen running away from them into the woods. Upon searching the bag, police found a firearm in the backpack, which was when additional resources were called in, and a perimeter was set up around the suspect’s last known location. Police were unaware if the subject was armed or not.
According to the Burnsville Police Department, the subject was later found after a neighboring resident reported a male subject hiding nearby in the back of a pickup truck. The Burnsville Police Department confirms that the male subject was taken into custody without incident and charged with possession of a firearm in a public place without a permit. Assistance in the search and perimeter was provided by the Eagan Police Department and Apple Valley Police Department for this incident.
Original Story
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA - Just before 11 PM on Sunday, March 12, 2023, Burnsville Police Department officers were on the scene of a possible domestic incident in the Oakleaf Townhomes neighborhood when police found a weapon. A male subject, assumed to be associated with the weapon, was last seen walking into a patch of woods on the south end of Oak Leaf West Park in Burnsville, Minnesota. Officers were unsure if the male subject was still armed or not, so officers called in additional aid, including help from neighboring departments to help set up a perimeter. K9s, drones, and air support from the Minnesota State Patrol helicopter aided in the search for the subject.
While the search was ongoing, some residents were forced to wait in their vehicles and could not return to their residences as police had 17th Ave S locked down from E 123rd St up to E 122nd St. A few residents also reported that they were woken by the drones police were using to search for the male subject after they flew by their windows. The residents were not aware of the search or police activity that was ongoing in their neighborhood at the time.
Just before Midnight, police found the male subject hiding in the back of a random pickup truck within the perimeter area. The male subject could be taken into custody without incident by police. We spoke with a few police officers on the scene for comment, but they could not provide any feedback on the incident as it was an ongoing investigation. We also contacted the Dakota County Dispatch and Burnsville Police Department for further comment. At the time of writing this story, we had not heard any comment back yet, but as soon as we do, we will be sure to post an updated story with more information.
