Man arrested after St. Paul police officer is shot in face by bb gun

A man is in custody, and a St. Paul police veteran is recovering after being shot in the face with what authorities initially called a high-powered BB gun during a standoff in St. Paul Friday afternoon.

According to WCCO, an 18-year veteran of the St. Paul Police Department was shot in the face with the BB gun after responding to a report of a suicidal man at a home in the neighborhood near Lyton Place and Park Street.

The officer, who has not been identified, was shot in the cheek and is reported to be recovering at Regions Hospital.

The shooting led to a two-hour standoff between police and the man at the home. According to WCCO, several shots were fired from the home during the standoff.

St. Paul Police Sgt. Paul Paulos said the situation is a reminder of how dangerous law enforcement jobs can be. At a news conference Friday afternoon, he said the type of weapon used remains under investigation.

"It's the thing that we fear the most," Paulos said. "It is very scary for the men and women of this police department."

The man eventually turned himself in without incident. The Pioneer Press' Tad Vezner captured this video of the standoff.

The Pioneer Press reports that police initially responded to a call from the man's psychologist, who requested police check on the man because he was "threatening death by cop."

Two officers responded to the call around 2 p.m.

When they arrived they found the man with a knife in his hand, so they backed away. Police say the man then ran into the house and soon fired a weapon through a window.

FOX 9 reports the SWAT team was called in, and the incident ended by 4:30 p.m. when the suspect came out of the house completely naked and turned himself in. He is being held at the Ramsey County Jail.

No one else was injured during the incident.