Man Arrested After Duluth Apartment Building Burglaries, Firearm Discharges

DULUTH, Minn. — A burglar created quite the scare early Monday morning in a downtown Duluth apartment building that involved a firearm being discharged.

The call for help came in around 12:30 a.m. at the Zenith Apartments on the 200 block of North 1st Avenue East, which is the former home to the Duluth Central High School.

The caller said a man, who was holding a fire extinguisher, entered their apartment before taking off.

When officers arrived, residents were evacuating the building after reporting smoke in the hallways and the fire alarm activated, according to Duluth police.

Meanwhile, another 911 caller in the same building reported a man breaking into their apartment, stealing a firearm and then discharging it in the hallway.  Police said the suspect also pointed the firearm at a person in the hallway before knocking on another apartment. The tenants thought it was the police when they opened the door, according to authorities.

Eventually, officers located the 42-year-old male suspect hiding behind residents who evacuated the building.

A short foot pursuit happened before his arrest.

Formal charges were pending Monday.