Overview
During a routine training exercise on May 28, 2026, officers from the Anoka Police Department reported observing a luminous, unidentified flying object (UFO) hovering above the training grounds. The sighting, described as a “bright, glowing disc that moved erratically,” was relayed to local radio station KROC‑AM, which has been tracking a rise in UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon) reports across Minnesota in recent months. While the incident has not been formally investigated by state authorities, the police report adds to a growing catalog of civilian observations that have prompted renewed public interest and scientific inquiry.
Incident Details
The officers were conducting a night‑time tactical drill near the Anoka County Fairgrounds when the object appeared approximately 500 feet overhead. According to a statement released to KROC‑AM, the craft emitted a steady white light that “flared and dimmed in a pattern that resembled a strobe,” and it changed direction “with no discernible propulsion or sound.” The sighting lasted roughly two minutes before the object accelerated upward and vanished from view. “We all stopped what we were doing and just stared,” said Sergeant Liam Hernandez, who was leading the exercise. “It was unlike any aircraft we’ve ever trained to identify.”
Official Response
Anoka Police have logged the encounter in their incident report system but have not opened a formal investigation, citing the lack of immediate safety concerns. The department forwarded the details to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Aviation Unit for potential follow‑up. A spokesperson for the department emphasized that “the primary focus remains public safety; however, we recognize the importance of documenting anomalous aerial events.” No air traffic control logs or radar data have been released to confirm or refute the visual account, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety declined to comment further pending a formal review.
Regional Context
The Anoka sighting aligns with a series of UAP reports that have surfaced in the Upper Midwest over the past year, including a similar glowing object observed by a farmer near St. Paul in March and multiple pilot testimonies recorded by the Federal Aviation Administration in early 2026. In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense released an unclassified assessment acknowledging “a small number of UAP incidents that remain unexplained.” Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Atmospheric Sciences Department have noted an uptick in civilian reports and are preparing a collaborative study with the National UFO Reporting Center to analyze patterns in location, altitude, and visual characteristics.
Next Steps
Local officials encourage anyone who may have captured additional footage or who observed the phenomenon from nearby locations to submit their material to the Anoka Police’s civilian reporting portal. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety has indicated it will coordinate with federal agencies to cross‑reference radar data and flight logs from the night of the incident. As the investigation proceeds, authorities stress that the sighting remains unidentified and that no immediate threat to public safety has been identified. The ongoing documentation of such events continues to fuel both governmental and academic efforts to understand the nature of these aerial anomalies.
