Man gets stayed sentence, probation for Stearns County standoff

Morgan Reddekopp KSTP

(Credit: Stearns County Jail)

A 43-year-old man was sentenced last week to serve probation in connection with a standoff in Stearns County in April of 2024.

Anthony Joseph Van Kirk was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The sentence is stayed for the duration of his five-year probation. Van Kirk was also sentenced to 125 days in Stearns County Jail, but had credit for 125 days already served.

As previously reported, a woman called police and said Van Kirk had locked her out of the apartment. When he let her back in, he was verbally aggressive, swung a hatchet and grabbed the woman by the shoulders.

A SWAT team was eventually called in, and residents in the nearby area were told to shelter in place.

Several hours later, Van Kirk left the apartment and was arrested.

He also had a warrant out for his arrest for second-degree arson at the time of the standoff.