Crime

Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force Arrests Multiple Men During Search Warrant

According to a press release from the Duluth Police Department.

DULUTH, Minn. — Stolen handguns, body armor, drugs, and ammunition were all seized in a West Duluth home Monday afternoon. It happened on the 100 block of South 67th Avenue West during a search warrant by the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force. Four men between the ages 20 and 51 were arrested. The 3 oldest suspects had active warrants…

Hibbing Man Pleads Guilty To 2017 Murder

HIBBING, Minn. — A Hibbing man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a woman in 2017. According to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office, 53-year-old Blake Stangel, pleaded guilty to Second-Degree Intentional Murder and First-Degree Aggravated Sale of a Controlled Substance on Thursday. The Attorney’s Office says Stangel could be sentenced to around 28 years with an additional concurrent…

UPDATE: Teen Arrested After DPD Searches For Suspect Who Threatened Person With Gun

UPDATE: Duluth police say just before 9 p.m. on Tuesday,  a 19-year-old man was arrested on the 4500-block of Norwood Street. Investigators say the teen and the person he allegedly threatened with a gun knew each other. FOX21 cannot name the suspect until he’s been formally charged by prosecutors. Police are recommending charges of attempted murder, possessing an illegal firearm,…

Speed May Have Been A Factor In Wis. Sen. Bewley Crash

Information taken from the Ashland Daily Press.

Photo by Wisconsin State Patrol, via Ashland Daily Press ASHLAND, Wis. — Speed may have been a factor in the fatal car crash involving Wisconsin State Senator Janet Bewley that killed a mother and her daughter back in July. According to the Ashland Daily Press that pulled from police records, Alyssa Ortman was traveling at 100 mph, in a speed-limit…

3 Men Convicted Of Supporting Plot To Kidnap Gov. Whitmer

(AP) — Three men accused of supporting terrorism in the plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor were convicted of all charges Wednesday in a trial that focused on paramilitary drills and fierce contempt for government ahead of the 2020 election. Joe Morrison, his father-in-law Pete Musico, and Paul Bellar were found guilty of supplying “material support” for a terrorist act as members…

Man Convicted Of Killing 6 With SUV In Christmas Parade

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man was convicted Wednesday of killing six people and injuring dozens of others when he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade last year, ending a trial in which he defended himself erratically and sometimes confrontationally. It took the jury a little over three hours to find Darrell Brooks guilty of all 76 charges, including six…

George Floyd’s Murder: Kueng Pleads Guilty; Thao Will Have ‘Stipulated Evidence’ Trial

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – One of the final two former Minneapolis police officers facing state charges in the murder of George Floyd has pleaded guilty. J. Alexander Kueng pleaded guilty Monday morning to aiding and abetting manslaughter – the day his and co-defendant Tou Thao’s trial was set to begin with jury selection. Both Kueng and Thao were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and…

UPDATE: Man Sentenced After Allegedly Driving Denfeld Boys Basketball Team Drunk

UPDATE (October 24, 12:50 p.m.) — A 48-year-old bus driver has been sentenced after allegedly driving the Denfeld Boys Basketball team while drunk in December. According to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office, Shawn Edward Zelazny pleaded guilty to Second Degree DWI on Monday. He was sentenced to two years supervised probation and 60 days in custody in which he will…

Michigan Teen Pleads Guilty To Killing 4 In School Shooting

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A teenager pleaded guilty Monday to terrorism and first-degree murder in a Michigan school shooting that killed four students and put an extraordinary focus on the boy’s home life and the alleged role of his parents in the tragedy. Ethan Crumbley, 16, pleaded guilty to all 24 charges, nearly a year after the attack at Oxford High School…

UPDATE: Hibbing PD Investigating Woman Removing Flyer From Mailbox, Woman Confessed

UPDATE (October 21, 12:10 p.m.) — The Hibbing woman who was caught on video putting a flyer into a mailbox and taking another one out, has confessed. Hibbing Police learned that the 61-year-old woman was volunteering to distribute campaign materials. A member from the specific campaign called her after watching the footage and she admitted to taking the pamphlet from…

LSVOTF: Virginia Man Arrested After Having Many Drugs And Almost $100k In Apartment

VIRGINIA, Minn. — 22-year-old Tyler Lawrence was arrested after an investigation found many illicit drugs, firearms, and almost $100,000 in cash at his apartment in Virginia. The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force (LSVOTF) assisted with the arrest after executing a search warrant on the 100 block of 7th Street South Tuesday. Items found included 26 pounds of marijuana, 12…

Duluth Police Dept.: School Resource Officers Are Coaches, Mentors, Social Workers

DULUTH, Minn. — Whether it’s building relationships with students, attending community events or after-school programs, the Duluth Police Department says that’s the majority of its focus for school resource officers. The Duluth City Council and Duluth School board recently approved a one-year contract for officers at Denfeld and East high schools, and Ordean and Lincoln Park middle schools. While safety…

LSVOTF Helps Arrest 62-Year-Old Drug Dealer, Finding 88 Grams Of Meth

The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force and K9 Maverick responded to the scene.

DULUTH, Minn. — The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force helped arrest a known meth dealer earlier Thursday. A Duluth Police Officer responded to a suspicious vehicle that is owned by a 62-year-old Silver Bay resident. The car was located on Commonwealth Avenue near the Morgan Park Neighborhood. A task force investigator and K9 Maverick arrived on the scene and…

Mascot Bruce’s Head Stolen From Black Woods Restaurant; ‘He’s Been Kind Of An Icon For Us’

Bruce has been greeting guests at the London Road location since it opened in 1997.

DULUTH, Minn. — Halloween is just around the corner, but tricks are already happening — and not in a fun way for the staff and customers at Black Woods in Duluth. The restaurant’s beloved mascot has been beheaded. His name is Bruce, and he’s been in the lobby of Black Woods on London Road for the past 25 years when…

Man Charged In Cloquet Home Invasion, Assault

CLOQUET, Minn. — A Cloquet man has been charged in a home invasion and assault from earlier this year. Brendan Smith, 43, is accused of breaking into a house on Boulder Drive in Cloquet before strangling a woman inside while she was sleeping. The victim’s husband confronted Smith before he took off. Smith was never identified until recently after Cloquet…

Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Killing Ex-Girlfriend

VIRGINIA, Minn. — A Virginia man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend last year pleaded guilty to the crime Thursday in St. Louis County Court. Derek Malevich, 42, accepted charges of second-degree intentional murder and and witness tampering. Malevich repeatedly stabbed Kristen Bicking, 32, in his apartment May 12, 2021 on the 100 block of Fifth Street South in Virginia. Malevich…

Duluth Police Release Details About Weekend Downtown Shooting

DULUTH, Minn. — Four days after a shooting in downtown Duluth, the Duluth Police Department released details about it Wednesday evening, and the announcement came with news of an arrest. A 23-year-old man was arrested by Cloquet police Wednesday in connection with the shooting. The victim is a 19-year-old man. He suffered non-life threatening injuries. Police said the shooting happened…

14-Year-Old Girl Killed In Crash; 16-Year-Old Driver Suspected Of Being Intoxicated

(FOX 9) – A 14-year-old girl was killed in a rollover crash in Wisconsin and the 16-year-old driver is suspected of being intoxicated behind the wheel. According to the Barron County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash on 16 ½ Avenue near 19 ¾ Street, just north of Cameron, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. The initial investigation shows…

Man Charged After Making Threats That Put Superior Daycare On High Alert

SUPERIOR, Wis. The man accused of threatening to enter a Superior daycare with a rifle last Thursday has been charged. 33-year-old Brandon Cole-Breezee of Duluth is charged with terroristic threats, stalking, domestic abuse, being an out-of-state felon in possession of a firearm, disorderly conduct, and criminal damage to property. According to the criminal complaint, Cole-Breezee not only told his ex-wife…

NERCC Escapee Apprehended In Grand Lake Township After Hours On The Run

DULUTH, Minn. – A missing inmate with the Northeast Regional Correction Center (NERCC) was apprehended without incident around 8 p.m. Friday. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said Kristofer Orr, 18, was located in the area of Bachelor Road and Esker Trail in Grand Lake Township after leaving NERCC during the morning hours on Friday. Investigators said the arrest was…

Man Arrested After Allegedly Threatening To Bring Gun To Superior Daycare

SUPERIOR, Wis. — On Thursday, a man is in custody after allegedly threatening to enter a Superior daycare with a rifle, to retrieve his child. The Superior Police Department said they got a report from a woman around 1:00 p.m. saying the father of her child was threatening to enter New Horizons Children’s Center with a rifle to retrieve their son….

Better Business Bureau Warns of Solar Panel Scams

MILWAUKEE, WI – With inflation and the rising costs of energy, solar panels have increased in popularity as an alternative energy source for homes and businesses in recent years.  For those who have thought about installing solar panels, the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau is warning consumers of potential scams. In the case of solar panels, scammers will pose as a…

Hermantown Police Investigate Possible Fraud With Member Of Parent Teacher Organization

The possible fraud case involves funds meant for students in Hermantown.

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — The Hermantown Police Department is investigating a possible fraud case. The claim coming from the President of a non-profit school fundraising group, and it’s against a group member. The Parent Teacher Organization, or PTO, raises money for Hermantown Elementary teachers and their students. Now, police are investigating allegations that thousands of those funds may have been taken…

Man And Woman Charged After Business Burglarized In Embarrass Township

EMBARRASS TOWNSHIP, Minn. — Two people have been arrested and charged after investigators say they burglarized a business on Wednesday in the Embarrass Township. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called out to an unidentified business just after 9 p.m. on September 28th on the 4800-block of Highway 21. When deputies arrived, they found ceiling tiles had…

Daughter Of Chisholm Cold Case Murder Victim Reflects On Sentencing Day

HIBBING, Minn. – The daughter of one of the Northland’s oldest cold cases finally got a sense of closure Friday — nearly 40 years after her mother’s murder in Chisholm. It was July 1986 when 38-year-old Nancy Daugherty was raped, beaten and strangled to death in her Chisholm home in what would become a decades-long cold case. Gina Haggard |…

Eveleth Drug Dealer Convicted Of Murder

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. — An Eveleth man was convicted of murder on Monday after selling fentanyl to a woman who died from an overdose on it. 39 year-old Torisa Wallace will spend 11 years in prison for Third-Degree Murder. Prosecutors say he sold fentanyl to a 33 year-old woman named Brooke Miller from Virginia in October of 2021. She…

UPDATE: Man Wanted For Stealing Vehicles In Bayfield County Found

UPDATE (September 29, 3:45 p.m.) — The man who had been missing for almost a week was found Thursday afternoon. Seth Genereau was missing after stealing cars and fleeing from the police. He had already been wanted for other crimes including vehicle theft. The Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office said Genereau is in their custody and that he and all officers…

U.S. Marshals Arrest Man In Superior Accused Of Minneapolis Shooting

SUPERIOR, Wis. — U.S. Marshals arrested a man in Superior who they say is suspected of killing another person in early April down in the Twin Cities. FOX21 cannot name the suspect until he’s formally charged. The 34-year-old suspect, whose most recent address shows that he lives in Eagan, was arrested on Wednesday. He’s accused of shooting a 28-year-old outside…

Man Charged In Duluth’s Gas Station Shooting Case

DULUTH, Minn. — The suspect accused of pulling the trigger of his gun inside the Speedway gas station in Duluth earlier this month has been charged. 30-year-old Joseph Francis Butler is charged with three felonies: second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless discharge of a dangerous weapon, and being a person who shouldn’t have a gun in the first place…

Ex-Superior Officer Accused Of DWI Fatal Crash Pleads Not Guilty To All Charges

WISCONSIN — The former Superior police officer accused of being drunk behind-the-wheel and causing a crash that killed two people and injured two more has pleaded not guilty to all twelve criminal charges. Ex-sergeant Greg Swanson made his plea in court on Monday for the eight felonies and four misdemeanors. The charges range from homicide and causing injuries while under…

UPDATE: Duluth Police Investigating Shooting At Speedway Gas Station, Suspect Found

The Speedway gas station shooter has been found and is in custody.

UPDATE (September 16, 3:30 p.m.) — The search for the Speedway gas station shooter has ended and the vehicle in question has been found. Friday, 31 year-old Joseph Butler was taken into custody in Bloomington in connection with the Sunday shooting that occurred at the Speedway gas station on East Fourth Street and 6th Avenue East, next to the Whole…

St. Paul Man Who Targeted 1,100 Victims In Sextortion Scheme Sentenced

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – The man who targeted hundreds of girls in a sextortion scheme has been sentenced to 43 years in federal prison. Yue Vang, 31, of St. Paul, pleaded guilty in June to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. He was sentenced to 516…

Man Shot At Local Business In Superior, Injuries Non Life-Threatening

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior Police Department says there was a shooting at a local business Sunday in Superior. The incident happened at Lady Vi’s just before 2 a.m. When officers arrived on-scene, they saw a lot of people leaving at once, with some of them telling police that the shooting happened inside the men’s bathroom. As Superior Police were…

UPDATE: Man Identified Who Was Found In Vermilion River, Cause Of Death Being Investigated

UPDATE (September 12, 2:15 p.m.) — The 43 year-old man who was found in Vermilion River has been identified. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the name of the man is Keith Joseph Roy of Orr, Minnesota. The cause of death is still being investigated. ORIGINAL POST: CRANE LAKE, Minn. — A death investigation is underway after a man’s…

Body Found Under I-35 Ramp In Downtown Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — A man’s body was found under the I-35 ramp in Downtown Duluth, according to the Duluth Police Department. Police say the call came in around 4:20 p.m. Sunday along the 800 block of West Railroad Street at the underpass. Investigators believe the 29 year-old man died of an apparent overdose. Categories: Crime, Minnesota, News, News – Latest…

UPDATE: Police Found Silver Chevy Impala That Was At Scene Of Speedway Shooting

UPDATE (September 12, 10:55 a.m.) — The Duluth Police Department says they have found the vehicle involved in Sunday’s shooting. The vehicle was found in the 200 block North 16th Avenue East. No arrests have been made yet and the DPD are still actively investigating the incident. ORIGINAL POST: DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police are looking for a a silver…

Jerry Westrom Sentenced To Life In Prison For 1993 Murder

(FOX 9) – A hockey dad and Isanti businessman has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of release after 30 years for the murder of Jeanne Childs in June 1993. Jerry Westrom, 56, was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree murder last month. A judge on Friday, Sept. 9, sentenced him based on 1993 guidelines, which are slightly different from current state…

Man Arrested After Burglarizing Duluth Business

DULUTH, Minn. — A 36 year-old man was arrested after allegedly being involved in a burglary in Duluth, according to the Duluth Police Department. At 9 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a burglary in progress at a business on the 2300 block of West Superior Street. When police arrived, witnesses told them they saw a man break a window with…

More Charges Against Former Superior Police Sergeant

Gregory Swanson was originally charged with one count of homicide by use of a vehicle in July.

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior Police Sergeant accused of causing a car crash that killed two people, and injured two others is no longer with the department. He has also been charged with 11 additional crimes. Gregory Swanson already faced one count of homicide by use of a vehicle in the July 15 crash after a 23 year-old man died….

Duluth Firefighter Sentenced After Assaulting Hiker, Status Of Employment Under Review

DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth City employee who still works for the Fire Department was sentenced Monday on a felony assault conviction. Conrad Sunde had been convicted of Third-Degree Assault after shoving and injuring a woman on a hiking trail two years ago. Sunde was sentenced to three years of supervised probation. It is a standard sentence for first time…

Parents Of Proctor Teen Suing After He Was Sexually Assaulted Last Year

PROCTOR, Minn. — The parents of the teenage boy who was sexually assaulted with a plunger at Proctor High School last year are suing the school district, the coaches, and the superintendent. The lawsuit is on a federal level. The parents are suing the Proctor school district, the superintendent John Engelking, the football coach Derek Parendo, and five assistant coaches…