Suspect was shot, wounded during Fridley standoff, police say

A six-hour standoff between an armed suspect and police at an apartment building in Fridley ended with a "peaceful outcome" Tuesday night despite the suspect being shot and wounded, authorities said Wednesday.

The suspect was identified as Eugene R. Boos, 42, who was wanted on a murder warrant and on suspicion of having committed drug and weapons crimes in Hennepin County, according to the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.

Several law enforcement agencies joined the standoff at the Georgetown on the River Apartments on Island Drive, near East River Road. It ended about 7 p.m. after Boos was shot and injured and arrested. He was taken to an area hospital and remains in custody.

"In incidents like these involving a suspect in a standoff with law enforcement, our goal is always to have a peaceful outcome … and that is exactly what happened in this case," Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said in a prepared statement.

The standoff began after Fridley police officers received a request to check on the welfare of a child in the apartment where Boos was suspected of hiding, the statement said. When the officers went to the apartment, they learned that Boos was inside. Several other people in the apartment were evacuated, but a 37-year-old woman from Crystal stayed behind, and she and Boos barricaded themselves inside the apartment.

Residents were then evacuated and offered shelter in a heated bus nearby and nearby roads were shut down.

After a period of negotiations and a call to editors at KMSP, Ch. 9, Boos left the apartment front door "with what the officers believed to be a handgun and subsequently shots were fired," according to the statement. Boos was injured and went back inside the apartment.

As negotiations continued, the woman in the apartment told negotiators she "was not a hostage and that she was present for the 'protection' of Boos," the statement said.

"Boos did not respond in any manner that gave indication of an easy resolution," it continued. He said he was not going to cooperate and "continued his threats to harm officers."

An apartment window was broken by a robot arm on a SWAT vehicle and tear gas was sent inside the apartment. The woman fled, but Boos stayed inside.

The Anoka County Sheriff's Office entered the apartment a few minutes after 7 p.m. and arrested Boos. The woman was not harmed or arrested. Detectives recovered a handgun from the apartment.

Two separate investigations are being conducted, one on the officer-involved shooting and one on Boos' actions.

Karen Zamora • 612-673-4647

Twitter: @KarenAnelZamora