Sheriff’s office identifies man involved in standoff

The Benson County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has identified the man involved in a standoff south of Maddock last week as Joseph Tracy of Maddock.

According to a sheriff’s office report, on June 25 the BCSO received a call from a rural Maddock resident stating that a male had stolen a pickup from an outbuilding on the property and was now stuck in a creek near the property line.

BCSO arrived on scene and observed a male in the driver’s seat with the window cracked open. Sheriff Laura Wanzek attempted verbal commands to have the male exit the vehicle. The male stated he was injured and refused to exit the vehicle after being asked by Sheriff Wanzek to exit it to seek medical help. The male began waving a handgun out the window of the pickup and stated, “I pointed a gun at a cop.” The male attempted to cover the window with a black garbage bag to conceal himself inside the vehicle.

Sheriff Wanzek retreated for cover and called in for assistance. She instructed the property owners to vacate the property for safety. The property owners claimed to have heard two gunshots after the male got stuck (before law enforcement arrived on scene.) The property owners were unsure if there were one or two people involved, but only saw the one male in the pickup.

For approximately three hours the male remained in the pickup pointing the handgun at the driver’s door in the direction of officers staged. Negotiations were attempted by drone PA system for the male to surrender, but without success. The male was identified by officers with a drone as Joseph Tracy of Maddock.

Minot SWAT arrived on scene with an armored Bearcat to attempt negotiations and nonlethal actions to apprehend Tracy. Tracy exited the pickup and surrendered without further incident. Tracy suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and was transported for medical care and later air flighted. There were no signs of another individual shot or present at the time of shooting.

Tracy’s medical status is alert, conscious and stable, and is currently receiving medical aftercare from surgery.

The incident remains under investigation by ND Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).