On March 8, 2020, Maynard Anderson, aged 72, was fatally shot in Backus, Minnesota. The incident began when authorities received a 911 call reporting an armed neighbor entering a house on Point Road. The caller, who managed to flee to a safe location within the home, reported hearing gunshots while hiding.
Responding to the call, deputies from the Cass County Sheriff's Office and an officer from the Pine River Police Department encountered Keith Haux, aged 57, walking down the road with
a firearm. Despite multiple commands to drop the weapon, Haux did not comply, leading a Cass County deputy to fire several shots, resulting in Haux's death. A weapon was recovered at the scene.
Upon entering the residence, officers discovered the body of Maynard Anderson, who had been shot by Haux. Both Anderson and Haux were transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's office, where it was confirmed that they died from multiple gunshot wounds. The deputy involved in the shooting was identified as Mike Germain, who has been with the Cass County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He was placed on standard administrative leave following the incident.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is conducting an investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Body camera and squad car video footage capturing the incident have been collected as part of the ongoing investigation.
