36-year-old charged in standoff with police at Bloomington home

A 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with a standoff in which prosecutors say he shot at police from his Bloomington home.

Andrew James Maxwell faces one count of first-degree assault for the use of deadly force against a peace officer.

As previously reported, Bloomington and Richfield officers responded to a known home on the 8700 block of 12th Avenue South in Bloomington for a report of a suicidal man Thursday.

Maxwell was on the phone with a counselor, who was relaying information to dispatchers. First responders learned that Maxwell was in his garage with a shotgun and was pointing the shotgun at the garage door to shoot officers, court documents state.

Once officers got to the scene, they heard Maxwell rack his shotgun. According to court documents, Maxwell came out of the garage a few minutes later with the shotgun.

Officers fired less-lethal rounds at him and Maxwell fired back, court documents said. He then went back inside and closed the garage door.

There was then a standoff for three to four hours. Authorities used a drone to get a better view of Maxwell’s home and yard, but Maxwell shot in the direction of the drone.

During a conversation with an officer during the standoff, Maxwell admitted to shooting at officers, according to court documents. He said officers fired first and he responded.

Around 4 a.m. the next morning, the drones captured Maxwell trying to escape by climbing over his fence and sneaking through backyards. He was arrested shortly after.

Maxwell is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.