St. Cloud Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Knife Attack on Police Officer

(KNSI) – A St. Cloud man who attacked a police officer with a knife last year has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Kyeon Royale Hill was in Stearns County District Court on Monday to learn his fate. A jury found him guilty in July of first-degree assault for using deadly force against a peace officer and fourth-degree assault for causing bodily harm to an officer.

The attack happened May 9th, 2025, when police were called to the 600 block of 8th Avenue North for a dispute between a man and a woman. The woman told officers she had asked Hill to pick up some of his belongings, and he became agitated and lunged at her with his fists.

According to court records, Hill was sitting in his car when officers approached and saw he had a knife. He refused several orders to drop it and get out, at one point saying he wouldn’t let police arrest him. When he finally stepped out and was told he was under arrest, Hill swung the open knife and lunged at an officer, cutting him on the left arm. A witness said Hill swore and threatened to kill the officer.

The officer fired one shot, hitting Hill, who was treated at CentaCare-St. Cloud Hospital. Hill later told investigators he knew he was being arrested, admitted to the attack, and said police had every right to shoot.

The St. Cloud Police Department investigated with help from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office.

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