Eat Street business owner recounts "scary" south Minneapolis standoff

Eat Street businesses in south Minneapolis are back open Wednesday after several had to shelter in place during Tuesday's standoff.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says it all began early Tuesday afternoon when its deputies were attempting to serve an arrest warrant given to them in March for 31-year-old Tyler Joseph O'Brien. He was taken into custody hours later.

Kim Huynh's business, Mai Hoa Beauty Salon, is in the building where it all happened. She said the ordeal was "so scary."

"We had like 13 people in the shop, and then we saw like police run over, carrying the gun and everything," Huynh said. "The police man, they say, 'Get down! Get down!'

Huynh, her employees and client hid for nearly an hour in the building's basement until authorities came to the rescue.

"The police said, 'OK, one, two, three and everyone run,' and then we ran over," Huynh said.

Huynh says she worries that this standoff and days like Jan. 24, 2026, when Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents just one block away, are painting a picture of the area that isn't accurate.

"Things just happen in life. We can't control stuff like that," Huynh said.

On Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Corrections told WCCO O'Brien's warrant was for allegedly failing to maintain contact with his supervision agent. He  has yet to be charged in the case.