In response to action by the St. Cloud Police Department early Monday morning, Senator Jerry Relph (R-St. Cloud) issued the following statement:

“Early Monday morning, the St. Cloud Police Department responded to a report of an individual with a firearm outside a local business. The suspect resisted arrest and, during the ensuing struggle, the suspect’s firearm went off, striking a police officer in the hand. Shortly after the individual’s arrest, a group of more than 100 people began marching to the police headquarters in St. Cloud, largely based onrel misinformation circling on social media that police had shot two men.

“While the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful, a couple of individuals were arrested for relatively minor offenses, such as property damage—but not one shot was fired by the St. Cloud Police Department last night. It could have easily escalated into yet another tragic situation; instead, law enforcement showed remarkable restraint and empathy as they worked to hear the pleas of the demonstrators and keep our communities safe.

“Chief of Police Blair Anderson deserves our thanks for the tremendous job he is doing leading a police department that works every single day to make sure the greater St. Cloud area remains a great place to live and work. If more police departments had the institutional professionalism, dedication, and empathy as the St. Cloud Police Department, the world would be a better place.

“I am so grateful to the men and women of law enforcement for the work they do every single day to protect our communities and keep us safe.”

Senator Jerry Relph represents St. Cloud, Waite Park, St. Augusta and surrounding areas in the Minnesota Senate. He serves as chair of the Senate Family Care and Aging Committee.