UPDATE

Jamestown . (Valley News Live) – The man at the center of an armed standoff in Jamestown is now facing charges in Stutsman County.

41-year-old Kevin Gene Garnica is facing three felony charges and three class A misdemeanors. Charges include terrorizing, felonious restraint, preventing arrest, and three drug-related charges including possession of methamphetamine.

Garnica is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing on Sept. 7 in Southeast District Court.

The county jail inmate roster shows Garnica is in the Stutsman County Correctional Center, with Bail set at $250,000 cash.

Jamestown Police say on August 4, a woman escaped from an apartment at 119 5th Street NW after being held against her will. Garnica then barricaded himself inside with a knife and a gun.

Police say just before 2:00 p.m. the suspect tried to run with a large knife, but went back into the apartment. Officers eventually used tear gas and pepper spray to get Garnica to surrender.

Previously

At approximately 4:15pm, Police deployed CS gas, Pepper Spray. The male suspect crawled out and was arrested by the James Valley Special Operations team without further incident Thursday. Standoff Report from Chief Edinger

Officers interviewed the victim and identified the suspect. Kevin Gene Garnica (age 41) with no confirmed address, made threats over recent weeks that he would injure or kill law enforcement, and had warrants out of Pierce County, ND.

Earlier Garnica had called the LEC wanting to get to the ambulance. It was moved closer, moved out, moved back, but the suspect did not emerge.

At 1:55pm, Garnica came out of the apartment, the CSi reporter heard what sounded like multiple shots. The Police has used non-lethal rounds (2″ foam heads). The individual retreated back into the apt.

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Previously Reported: Jamestown, ND (CSi) Jamestown Police responded mid-morning Thursday Aug 4 to a report of individual, possibly armed, with a gun and a knife in an apartment, in the area of 5th St & 2nd Ave NW, at the Northstar Apartments in Jamestown. Also on scene are the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office, & the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

Police Chief Scott Edinger says, the area has been blocked off, and nearby residences including a daycare were evacuated. Traffic on 2nd Ave and on 5th St NW is being diverted. The public needs to stay away from the scene. The Jamestown Ambulance was on standby. At last report mid afternoon, Thursday, Police are attempting to make contact with the individual.

Evening Report from Chief Edinger:

(JPD) On August 4, 2022, at approximately 10:41am, Stutsman County
Communications dispatched officers to 119 5th St NW #9 in Jamestown. It was reported that a victim had been held there against their will overnight. The suspect had threated to kill the
victim, and she had just escaped. Officers interviewed the victim and identified the suspect. Kevin Gene Garnica (age 41) with no confirmed address, made threats over recent weeks that he would injure or kill law enforcement, and had warrants out of Pierce County, ND. Initially a shelter in place request was made for the neighborhood as officers set up a perimeter and attempted to contact Garnica. Additional information was gathered that Garnica may be armed with both a knife and a gun, prompting the evacuation of a daycare and surrounding apartments.


When Garnica failed to answer his phone, the front door to the apartment was breached using an
armored vehicle. A robot was used to deliver a phone so negotiators could speak with Garnica.
Contact was made and broken several times over the hour’s long stand-off. At 1:57pm, Garnica
attempted to flee the apartment with a large knife in his hand. Officers deployed less-lethal
impact munitions, striking him several times. He returned to his apartment and barricaded once
more. Contact was re-established intermittently over several more hours. Negotiations with
Garnica stopped progressing and at 4:23pm, OC and CS gas was deployed into the apartment,
forcing Garnica to surrender. He and several officers were treated at the scene for exposure to
the gas. Garnica was transported by Jamestown Ambulance to the Jamestown Regional Medical
Center for treatment of minor injuries. Reports will be forwarded to the Stutsman County State’s
Attorney for formal charges.


The Jamestown Police Department was assisted by the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office, North
Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Probation and Parole, James Valley Special Operations and Crisis Negotiations, North Dakota Department of Corrections, Jamestown Ambulance, Stutsman County Emergency Management, Jamestown Public Works, Jamestown Fire Department, and numerous individuals from the community who brought water and other services. Thank you to all those who assisted.