Charges: Scott Henrikson triggered AMBER Alert by abducting young son, leading to police standoff
BRAINERD, Minn. – A 41-year-old man is facing multiple criminal charges after police say he violated an order of protection by abducting his young son, then barricading himself and the boy inside a garage in central Minnesota, leading to a lengthy standoff with law enforcement.
The Crow Wing County Attorney's Office says Scott Peter Henrikson is charged with a felony count of depriving the custodial rights of a parent, a gross misdemeanor count of violating an order of protection, and a misdemeanor count of obstructing the legal process.
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According to the criminal complaint, a woman told police that Henrikson punched her in the stomach while she was driving with their 2-year-old son in Becker on July 29. She says the boy started to scream, and Henrikson then hit the boy's legs.
The woman, who has sole custody of the boy, stopped the vehicle and got out to get help. Henrikson then got into the driver's seat and sped off on Highway 10 with the boy, leading to an AMBER Alert.
In the early morning hours of July 30, law enforcement were called to a home in Baxter on a tip that Henrikson and the boy were barricaded inside a garage. When officers arrived, they looked into the garage and saw Henrikson inside the vehicle.
Police say Henrikson ignored the commands of law enforcement to come out. A perimeter was then set up around the neighborhood and the garage was surrounded.
Officers were eventually able to talk to Henrikson over the phone, who said the child was safe. Henrikson refused for hours to release the child, and said that while he was suicidal, he wouldn't hurt the boy.
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Police say as the standoff dragged on, Henrikson's "behaviors were escalating," and he was believed to be "under the influence of controlled substances."
Crow Wing County's tactical response team eventually entered the garage and rescued the boy, and took Henrikson into custody. The sheriff's office reported Thursday that a team member accidentally discharged their rifle when they entered the garage, but no one was hurt.
Henrikson had active arrest warrants out for him at the time of the standoff. His criminal history includes a domestic assault conviction from 2022.
NOTE: The video above is from July 30, 2023.
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Local Domestic Violence Resources
Women's Advocates
Crisis Line: (651) 227-8284
St. Paul & Ramsey County Domestic Abuse Intervention Project
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Bilingual crisis line: (651) 772-1611.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.