Man Threatened to ‘Kill Police’ During Armed Standoff in Sawyer – Charges
SAWYER, Minn. – A man is charged with using deadly force on a peace officer in connection to the armed standoff at a property in Sawyer Township on Sunday, court documents show.
According to a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday, 45-year-old William Joseph Wise Jr. is charged with 1st-degree use of deadly force on a peace officer and unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a violent crime.
The charges allege that on Sunday, Fond du Lac Tribal Police responded to Wise’s residence at 3667 W Moorhead Rd after he called 911 claiming to have “shot himself while cleaning a firearm.” When arriving on scene one officer “observed (Wise) open the front door holding a long gun.” Wise reportedly “gestured at the officer” before firing a shot into the air and going back inside his house.
Police said they took cover behind a vehicle and then saw Wise “in the second-floor window aiming a long gun in their direction.” As officers went into a nearby wooded area for cover, “they heard additional fire coming from the residence before getting to cover in a ditch across the road.”
The complaint alleges that during the hours-long standoff that ensued, Wise “entered and exited his residence and fired a number of additional shots.” Law enforcement used a crisis negotiator to contact Wise, “who stated that he was armed and made threats to kill police if they approached and threatened to burn the squad cars still in the driveway.”
The standoff ended after Wise attempted to move a canoe away from his residence in the direction of a nearby lake, court documents allege. Law enforcement approached and took Wise into custody without further incident.
Officers say they found “two firearms, a paddle, and a backpack ” in the canoe. When searching the residence, officers located “a shotgun tucked into a couch near the open window (Wise) was firing from as well as numerous items of ammunition and spent casings.”
In contrast to his initial 911 call, Wise did not have any reported gunshot wounds when he was taken into custody.
