U.S.

Minn. Deputy Killed With His Own Gun While Guarding Hospital

Officials say a Minnesota sheriff's deputy was killed Sunday morning after a patient he was guarding grabbed his gun and shot him.

Minn. Deputy Killed With His Own Gun While Guarding Hospital
Alan Cleaver / CC BY 2.0
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A sheriff’s deputy was reportedly shot and killed Sunday morning by a patient at a Minnesota hospital.

Deputy Steven Sandberg was guarding 50-year-old Danny Hammond’s room when a struggle broke out. Hammond reportedly grabbed Sandberg's gun and fired several shots. (Video via KSTP)

Security personnel at St. Cloud Hospital used a taser on Hammond, who later became unresponsive and died. (Video via WCCO)

Officials didn't reveal why Hammond was being treated, but they did say hospital staff had asked for a guard in his room because of his involvement in a domestic incident. Hammond was not in police custody at the time of the shooting.

"I would hope everyone would keep Investigator Sandberg's wife and daughter in their thoughts and prayers in the coming days," Aitkin County Sheriff Scott Turner said.

Sandberg worked for the Aitkin County Sheriff's Department for 24 years. He was 60 years old.

Correction: A previous version of this video referred to Danny Hammond as an inmate. Hammond was not in police custody at the time of the incident. The video has been updated.