Man Who Killed Aitkin County Cop Held Wife at Gunpoint

The man who shot and killed an Aitkin County Sheriff’s Deputy on Sunday was charged with holding his wife captive at gunpoint a week earlier. 

According to a criminal complaint, Danny Leroy Hammond locked her inside of their home and aimed a pistol at her after she told him she was leaving him. 

The complaint says he forced her to lie in bed with him, while pointing the pistol at her and then himself.  The gun fired, hitting the television set.  

Hammond was charged in Aitkin County Court with multiple charges including kidnapping, assault and terroristic threats.  

On Sunday, Hammond shot and killed Deputy Steven Sandberg at a St Cloud Hospital.

The incident happened around 5:15 in the morning when Hammond got out of bed and engaged in an altercation with the deputy, taking his gun and shooting him. 

Investigators declined to say why Hammond was being treated at the hospital. 

They also would not specify why the hospital asked the Sheriff’s Department to station a guard in his room, except to say it was due to the seriousness of the domestic incident a week earlier.