00:00I'm not f***ing lying here.
00:01No, no, no, no, no.
00:03Mike, he's got a knife, he's got a knife, he's got a knife, he's got a knife, he's got a
00:06knife, he's got a knife, he's got a knife.
00:08Hey, down, bring it down!
00:10Bring it down!
00:13This is Michael Janacek, a 75-year-old Vietnam veteran in a tense standoff with officers, holding a kitchen knife.
00:20What starts as a simple eviction notice is about to take an unexpected turn.
00:25It all started on January 29, 2024, at 1609 5th Street in Wilmer, Minnesota.
00:33Officers arrived to carry out an eviction due to $1,500 in unpaid rent.
00:40Michael's lease had ended on October 31, 2023, but he refused to leave.
00:46Even after attempts to resolve things in court, he wouldn't budge.
00:50With no other options left, authorities had to begin the legal eviction process, which is when everything escalated.
00:58Mike, it's Rob from the Sheriff's Office. We'd like to speak with you.
01:01Can you meet us at the sliding glass window?
01:04Officer Gerrard's.
01:06Did you see any comments on Facebook?
01:09No.
01:09Someone said congratulations, Officer Gerrard's.
01:16I guess just be careful if he pops a door or something.
01:20Okay, I'll get the bar in here.
01:23I'll probably have a case where I suppose.
01:26Yeah.
01:27I'll be behind you with the, uh...
01:30Probably you want to go back in my room.
01:32Yep.
01:32I'll just let him know when I'm coming in.
01:34Like Michael knows?
01:35Oh, yeah.
01:39Michael, open the door, otherwise we're coming in.
01:42You're last morning.
01:4335. He was saying that we're going to make entry.
01:5010-4, you're going to try to make entry.
01:5310-4.
01:57Michael, open the door, otherwise the Sheriff's Office is coming in.
02:01This is your last warning.
02:0330. I'm not far away at all.
02:06I'm on my way over there now.
02:0810-4.
02:11Do you want to wait a second to drop, or are you supposed to stop right now?
02:14Yeah.
02:15I'll do it, I think.
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03:22description.
03:26Sheriff's office!
03:29I'm going to go to the left here.
03:31Yep.
03:35Michael, it's the sheriff's office!
03:44It's clear in here.
03:46Okay. I'm going to come around to you.
03:47I think you want to hold here a little.
03:49Okay.
03:49Which one's in his bedroom?
03:51We're in the end.
03:53Michael!
03:54Michael, it's the sheriff's office!
03:57You're being...
03:58Sheriff McCannan!
03:59You're being lawfully evicted!
04:05Michael, you're being lawfully evicted.
04:12It's time to go.
04:21Let's go back there.
04:29Michael!
04:30What?
04:33It's the sheriff's office.
04:37Did Judge McCannan give you permission to pick on me?
04:41We have a signed order from a judge.
04:44Or 10-12.
04:46Did Judge McCannan give you orders to protect me or protect me?
04:52We have signed orders from a judge.
04:54You're being lawfully evicted, Michael.
04:56Who?
04:59Who the hell are you?
05:01I'm with the sheriff's office.
05:02This is Rob.
05:03You've talked to Rob before.
05:05Hey, do you remember me, Mike?
05:06No!
05:07You're the bad guy!
05:08Get away from me!
05:09No, I work for the sheriff's department.
05:11I've got no fucking life here.
05:13No.
05:13No, no, no, no, no.
05:14Mike!
05:15He's out, Mike!
05:15He's out, Mike!
05:16Mike!
05:16He's out, Mike!
05:17He's out, Mike!
05:18He's out, Mike!
05:19Get back!
05:19Get back!
05:20Get back!
05:21Hey!
05:21Down!
05:21Put it down!
05:22Put it down!
05:24Put it down!
05:24Put it down!
05:25Hey!
05:26Get out of here!
05:27Stop!
05:28Get over here!
05:30Get out of here!
05:31I'm locked back here!
05:33Close the door, Heather.
05:34We'll close the door, Heather.
05:37Yeah, Heather's locked in the room back here.
05:41Close the door, Heather.
05:42We'll close the door, Heather.
05:44Nice track.
05:44Good.
05:45Yep.
05:46Come on, here.
05:47Hang on.
05:48Hang on.
05:50Up!
05:53Ten more units.
05:54Ten more units.
05:57All units respond to Town Hall's apartment 609 5th Street, both west.
06:01All units respond.
06:03Ten thirty-three.
06:04Start an ambulance, please.
06:06Hold the ground on T's.
06:09Ten more.
06:10Ten more units.
06:10One two is deployed.
06:12Let's cut the right away from him.
06:16One am in rod over there as well.
06:19Ten more.
06:22Get him on his side.
06:24Get him on his side.
06:26Over position?
06:28Yep.
06:29Watch over.
06:30Put those legs.
06:31Pull this out of here.
06:33Don't work.
06:36I'm coming over your head here.
06:37Deal.
06:38Come on, that's a little blood healer.
06:40Yeah.
06:41There's a bit of blood over here.
06:42Put on his head, please.
06:48After Deputy Kampson deployed his taser, officers attempted to provide medical aid, but Janicek was unresponsive, though still breathing.
06:57Paramedics arrived at his apartment and rushed him to Rice Memorial Hospital in Wilmer.
07:02His condition worsened, leading to an airlift to CentraCare Hospital in St. Cloud, where he ultimately died.
07:08The autopsy revealed blunt force injuries to the head caused by a fall during the taser deployment.
07:14The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
07:16Midwest crime dug into public records and investigation files, revealing that Janicek had a long history of mental health issues,
07:24including paranoia and delusions.
07:27His refusal to cooperate with eviction attempts played a significant role in the events.
07:33The investigation focused on whether Deputy Kampson's use of the taser was reasonable under the circumstances.
07:39After reviewing the case, the Candio High County Attorney's Office determined that the use of force was justified, ultimately clearing
07:47the officers of any wrongdoing.
07:49Michael Janicek wasn't just a troubled tenant.
07:52He was a Vietnam veteran who served three years in the Army and spent decades guarding the Minnesota state capitol.
07:59His niece remembers visiting him at work, a place he proudly walked to every day.
08:03Despite the tragedy that unfolded, it's clear he once lived a life marked by service and dedication, leaving behind a
08:10story that won't be easily forgotten.
08:12We thought he was going to go to the mental health unit on Monday.
08:15Not that I would be making funeral arrangements for him.
08:19I think it could have been handled differently.
08:21And I didn't know what else to do.
08:24If I can't get him out of here to get him to go see a doctor, there was nobody that
08:29could.
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