Stearns County Armed Standoff Ends After Suspect Fires on SWAT
Stearns County authorities at a domestic call Saturday encountered an armed suspect who allegedly fired multiple rounds at them, hitting one deputy’s glasses.
Deputies were first dispatched around 9:34 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, to a residence on County Road 34 in Paynesville Township.
They determined there was probable cause to arrest 58-year-old Nicholas Kaufenberg for domestic assault. When contacted by phone, Kaufenberg refused to come outside, allegedly made threats toward deputies and claimed to have multiple firearms.
As the situation remained unresolved—and with the mention of weapons—the Stearns-Benton SWAT team was activated at 1:50 p.m. Negotiators attempted for several hours to persuade Kaufenberg to surrender, but he refused. Around 7:35 p.m., SWAT members breached a bedroom window. Kaufenberg then fired multiple rounds from a shotgun at officers, the sheriff’s office said. One deputy was hit in the safety glasses by suspected birdshot, though no injuries were reported.
Armored vehicles had been deployed to the scene as a protective measurs and officers were shielded by the equipment. After the gunfire, Kaufenberg was taken into custody without further incident. He was booked into the Stearns County Jail around 7:40 p.m. on charges of misdemeanor domestic assault and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, which carries a max sentence of ten years and/or a $20,000 fine.
Investigators later served a search warrant at the residence and found multiple firearms and spent shell casings.
A booking photo for Kaufenberg was not immediately available. State court records show a petty misdemeanor traffic violation in 2020 but no previous criminal history for Kaufenberg.
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