PINE ISLAND, Minn. – A southern Minnesota man has been convicted of assault after shooting at police while in custody an hours-long stalemate in 2022 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Michael Molitor, 39, entered Norgaard plea for first-degree assault in April. The plea means he believes the facts of the case point to his guilt, but he cannot remember the circumstances of the crime.
According to the indictment, the standoff began in late August 2022 with a welfare check on Pine Island. A Goodhue County sheriff’s deputy went to Molitor’s home after a caller reported that Molitor had threatened to commit suicide, specifically referring to “suicide by cop.” “
Molitor allegedly told authorities he had firearms and that he had handcuffed a woman in his home.
A SWAT team arrived in the afternoon and, after several hours of communication and observation, used chemical munitions to force Molitor out of the house. As authorities deployed these munitions, Molitor reportedly fired nearly twenty shots, some of which struck an armored vehicle and a nearby house.
Eventually, Molitor left the house, apparently unarmed. Police used less lethal bullets to subdue him and took him into custody. There was no woman handcuffed in the house.
After his prison sentence, Molitor will serve five years of probation. In addition, 100 hours of his sentence may be served through “any treatment activities or pro-social activities as approved by the Veterans Treatment Court or probation”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, please reach out for help Suicide and crisis lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything. In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illnessor NAMI. Call the NAMI helpline 800-950-6264 or text “HelpLine” to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates nationwide, many of which offer free support and education programs.
