Sawchak was charged with the following felonies, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department:

• Second-degree attempted murder
• First-degree assault
• Stalking
• Harassment

The suspect is being held on a $1 million bail and is set to a court appearance on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., according to the department’s arrest records.

Police chief apologizes

The victim had also reported his neighbor several times before the shooting and made several 911 calls regarding Sawchak. He also reported his neighbor before when he threatened to shoot him if he touched a specific tree, according to O’Hara.

“We failed this victim,” O’Hara said Sunday night. “He should not have been shot.”

When police responded to the calls, Sawchak refused to open the door and speak with officers, according to O’Hara.

A lieutenant had gone to the suspect’s house over 20 times. The number does not include the times other officers have been called to the address.

This led to the lieutenant giving his phone number to the victim, said O’Hara. The lieutenant asked the victim to call him when he did see Sawchak leave his home.

High-risk warrant

Before Sunday night, police had concerns over an altercation and wanted to arrest the suspect where he did not have access to his firearms, but O’Hara said the man was a “recluse” and did not leave his house often.

The suspect, who O’Hara said was “mentally ill,” was known to possess firearms, had violent confrontations in the past and refused to cooperate in “the dozens of times that police officers have responded to the residence.”

The execution of the arrest warrant was deemed “high-risk.”

“Based on our assessment, the likelihood of an armed, violent confrontation where we may have to use deadly force with the suspect in this case is high,” said O’Hara during a press briefing on Friday. “Prior to Wednesday, all we had was a threats warrant.”