HEAT Team responds to domestic incident in Mt. Lake

The regional High-Risk Entry and Arrest Tactical Team -– or HEAT Team -- was activated for a Friday incident in Cottonwood County.

According to a press release from the Mountain Lake Police Department, Mountain Lake officers were dispatched at 1:37 p.m. Friday to the 1100 block of Mountain Lake Road for a domestic disturbance. The victim, who was also the caller, said the suspect, Michael D. Saypativath of Mountain Lake, had come after her with a hammer and had also smashed out multiple windows to her vehicle. The victim was able to safely flee the residence in the vehicle where the 911 call was made safely. There was also information that there may be a firearm the suspect had access to, along with a mental state of being suicidal.

A neighboring agency had relayed information in the past week where these two individuals had a domestic disturbance in their jurisdiction, and a firearm was also mentioned in that incident.

Officers were able to make contact with the rest of the residents in the home – who were safely removed – while law enforcement continued to try and make contact with the suspect. After several attempts were made to contact the suspect with no response, the regional HEAT Team was activated and responded to the scene.

After the HEAT Team made several announcements, Saypativath exited the house and was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to Windom Area Hospital, where he was evaluated and released to be booked into the Cottonwood County Jail on charges of second-degree assault (deadly weapon), domestic assault and property damage.

A search warrant was executed at the residence, where a hammer was seized as evidence. Also assisting at the scene were the Cottonwood County Sheriff's Office and Minnesota State Patrol.