St. Michael Home Subject of 44 Hour Long Standoff Destroyed by Fire

(KNSI) — The home that was the subject of a 44-hour standoff earlier this summer was destroyed by fire Thursday morning.

According to a press release from the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, crews were called to the home at 599 West Central Avenue at 9:37 a.m. when they arrived; they found the house fully engulfed in flames. Departments from Albertville, Hanover, and St. Michael responded.

No injuries were reported.

The sheriff’s office and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal are investigating the fire.

In June, police were called to the home owned by Brandon Gardas for an alleged domestic situation. He held police at bay for almost two days, refusing to come out of the house. According to the criminal complaint, members of the SWAT team tactically dismantled the home to get Gardas to come out. He repeatedly fired at police during the ordeal, with a sheriff’s deputy narrowly missing getting shot in the head.

Eventually, police went in and arrested Gardas. He was shot twice and taken to the hospital for treatment before being booked into the Wright County jail.

A search of the home turned up three AK-47s, three AR-15s, a Remington shotgun, three .9 mm handguns, a .22 caliber revolver, an M-4 carbine rifle, more than 12,400 rounds of various caliber ammunition, three components for AR-15 style firearms, eight ballistic kevlar panels, an outer vest, and a ballistic helmet. Police also seized 324 grams of marijuana in plant form, 26.2 grams of marijuana wax, and 72.6 grams of psilocybin mushrooms.

Gardas has been charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder of a police officer, two counts of first-degree assault of a police officer, felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of drug possession, and felony threats of violence for the standoff. He was also charged with second-degree assault and felon in possession for brandishing a weapon at his pastor.

He is being held on $10 million unconditional bail or $5 million with conditions and is still in jail.

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