Armed Wanted Man Arrested After Two Hour Rural Rochester Standoff

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - There was a two-hour police standoff in rural Rochester Tuesday involving an armed man who indicated he wanted to die in a “suicide by cop.”

It ended without incident when officers fired non-lethal projectiles at the man, who was standing at the edge of some woods.

The man was identified as 31-year-old Scott Tester of rural Chatfield, who was being sought after missing a recent court appearance. Deputies were tipped off Tester was at a Rochester residence and went there to arrest him but he had apparently left just before they arrived.

Tester’s vehicle was located around 4:00 PM in the area of Valleyhigh Rd and 60th Ave NW and he was spotted running across a field toward some woods. He stopped running and officers saw he was holding a knife in one hand and a hatchet in the other. That’s when the standoff began.

An Olmsted County deputy began negotiating with Tester to surrender but he refused and held the knife to his throat.Two hours later, it was decided to end the standoff and tear gas was fired at Tester. He still refused to give up so the non-lethal projectiles were used and he finally complied.

Earlier this year, Tester was given a stayed 3-year prison sentence and placed on probation for a 2018 incident in Rochester. He led officers on a chase while driving a stolen vehicle and rammed two squad cars. He was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution.

News update:  Another downtown Rochester venue is affected by the Covid pandemic.