FARGO — Police say a 32-year-old man facing charges for allegedly threatening police with a knife and resisting arrest Tuesday night, Sept. 10, was involved in a fight with a former partner at a north Moorhead trailer park before being arrested in Fargo.
At around 8:30 p.m., an officer found William L. Baker walking into North Dakota in the area of Jack Williams Stadium near 12th Avenue North in Fargo, according to Moorhead Police Department spokesman Capt. Deric Swenson.
The officer got out of his vehicle about “two car lengths” from Baker, who continued walking away but then turned around and pulled out a folding knife, according to Swenson, who said the officer then pulled out his gun as Baker ran off into a wooded area.
Swenson said the officer then cleared bystanders from a bike path near where Baker was last spotted and called for backup. Baker then came out into the open with a knife.
Police said Baker refused to drop the knife and continued yelling that he wasn’t going to be arrested again as more officers arrived with their guns drawn. The confrontation reportedly went on for about 10 minutes.
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Swenson said police are trained for these types of situations and try to give an uncooperative person options other than violent confrontation.
“Our biggest thing is to have that distance and try to slow things down and allow that person to get their emotions in control and de-escalate the situation,” Swenson said.
Eventually, police said they used a stun gun and were able to take Baker into custody.
No formal charges have been filed yet, however, Baker is expected to face terrorizing and preventing arrest charges in North Dakota and domestic assault charges in Minnesota.
Baker was being held in Cass County Jail Wednesday night, according to the jail roster.
