Crime

Judge Tosses Death Sentence in Dru Sjodin Slaying

(AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt File) FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A federal judge has thrown out the death sentence for a man convicted in the 2003 slaying of a North Dakota college student. Judge Ralph Erickson ruled Friday that misleading testimony from a medical examiner and limitations on mental health evidence violated Alfonso Rodriguez Jr.’s constitutional rights. He ordered a new sentencing…

1st Degree Manslaughter Charge Added Against Kim Potter

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison added the count of first-degree manslaughter against Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright during an April traffic stop in Brooklyn Center. Ellison filed the amended complaint in Hennepin County District Thursday. This new charge of first-degree manslaughter by recklessly handling a firearm is…

Duluth Police Looking For Suspects Accused Of Burglarizing Bluestone Apartments

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Police are looking for two people they believe burglarized two of the Bluestone apartment buildings early Sunday morning. Investigators say the man and woman stole tools from maintenance rooms, and also walked away with a bike rack and a mountain bike from an underground parking garage. Police are trying to figure out how the pair got…

12-State Human Trafficking Operation Nets Rescues 47 Victims

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt says a 12-state law enforcement operation rescued 47 victims of human trafficking and led to the arrest of more than 100 people. Schmitt said most of the arrests were made Thursday night into Friday morning. The effort, called Operation United Front, used undercover officers who arranged to meet potential human…

Wisconsin Man Charged in Parents’ Killing and Dismemberment

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Wisconsin man accused of killing and dismembering his father has been charged with committing the same crimes against his mother. The new charges brought Wednesday against 23-year-old Chandler Halderson means he now faces two counts each of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse, and providing false information on kidnapped or missing persons…

Authorities Find Body in Missing Fire Chief’s Truck

HAYWARD, Wis. (AP) – Authorities have discovered a body in a missing fire chief’s truck. The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram reports that Arcadia-Glencoe Fire Chief Jeff Halvorsen and his vehicle were reported missing on Friday. The Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office found the truck on Sunday in a remote wooded area near Hayward. The sheriff’s office said a body was inside the…

UPDATE: Police Probing Report of Explosive in Truck Near Capitol, Suspect Surrenders

UPDATE: WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the Capitol surrendered to law enforcement after an hours-long standoff Thursday that prompted a massive police response and the evacuations of government buildings and businesses in the area. Police did not immediately know whether there were explosives in the vehicle, but authorities were…

Proctor Middle School Teacher Charged With Criminal Sexual Conduct of Former Student

PROCTOR, Minn. – A Proctor Middle School teacher has been charged with felony criminal sexual conduct after he allegedly sexually abused a former student multiple times over the course of a year. On Thursday, 51-year-old Todd Robert Clark was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count of first-degree…

Proctor Middle School Teacher Arrested for Alleged Criminal Sexual Conduct

PROCTOR, Minn. – A 51-year-old teacher at a Proctor middle school was arrested Tuesday afternoon on pending charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to the Duluth Police Department, the teacher was booked in the St. Louis County Jail and is awaiting formal charges. According to Proctor Schools Superintendent John Engelking, the teacher “is employed by the school district, but…

US Health Officials Call for Booster Shots Against COVID-19

NEW YORK – U.S. health officials are recommending all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots. The plan, as outlined by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other top health authorities, calls for booster doses eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The booster doses could begin the week of…

Ex-Wisconsin Teacher to Pleads Guilty to Filming Students

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A former Wisconsin high school teacher accused of secretly videotaping undressed students during field trips in Wisconsin and Minnesota pleaded guilty in federal court Monday, under a plea deal with prosecutors. Thirty-nine-year-old David M. Kruchten faces six to 20 years in prison, after pleading guilty to two federal charges. Sentencing has been set for Oct. 22….

Minneapolis-Based GOP Operative Indicted on Child Sex Trafficking Charges

(courtesy: Fox 9) MINNEAPOLIS – A Republican political operative has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Minnesota and now faces five counts of sex trafficking of a minor, a count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, and another count of attempted sex trafficking, along with three counts of obstruction. The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges Anton Lazzaro…

Suspects in East Hillside Shooting Formally Charged

DULUTH, Minn. – The suspects arrested in Tuesday’s East Hillside drive-by shooting have now been formally charged. According to court records, the alleged shooter, 21-year-old Kewon Dunn, has been charged with second-degree attempted murder, drive-by shooting, and felon convicted crime of violence-firearm violation. The driver of the vehicle, 25-year-old Brianna Clark-Johnson has also been charged with aiding an offender. According…

UPDATE: Child Dies After Being Locked in Car in Hibbing, Twin Brother Released From Hospital

UPDATE: The Hibbing Police Department has now been informed that one of the twin boys has passed away while receiving medical care at a children’s hospital in Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office will be performing an autopsy on the boy. The other juvenile male was released from St. Mary’s in Duluth. Police added that possible charges on the…

Duluth Shooting Suspect Arrest After Police Standoff

DULUTH, Minn.- A man was shot around 8:30 am on 15th Avenue East near East Superior Street, putting him in the hospital with unknown injuries, and leaving one garage in the neighborhood with multiple bullet holes. According to the Duluth Police Department, multiple shots were fired in the drive-by shooting. The suspect was soon found nearby. “The suspect came into…

UPDATE: Suspects Arrested in Connection to Tuesday Morning East Hillside Shooting

UPDATE: Duluth police say Tuesday’s shooting stemmed from an altercation the suspect and victim had with each other earlier in the day. The suspect and victim were known to each other and this was not a random shooting. Authorities say the victim is currently listed in stable condition. We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available….

One Injured in Tuesday Morning East Hillside Drive-By Shooting, Officers on the Scene

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth police are one the scene of an apparent drive-by shooting that happened Tuesday morning in the area of 15th Avenue East and Superior Street. Authorities say one person was shot in the incident and is in the hospital with unknown injuries. Officers have identified a suspect and believe the suspect is in the area of the…

Poplar Man, Former NFL Player, Pleads Not Guilty to Child Sexual Assault Charges

DULUTH, Minn. – Former NFL football player and Poplar native, Tom Burke, 44, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct of a 7-year-old girl. In June, Burke was arrested after a female contacted the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office in February to report that the young victim confided in her that Burke had been performing…

Ex-Cops Charged in Floyd Death Want Separation From Chauvin

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights are asking that their federal trials be separated from the trial of Derek Chauvin, who has already been convicted on state murder charges. Attorneys for J. Kueng and Tou Thao said in court filings Tuesday that their clients would be unfairly prejudiced if they went…

Officer Dead After Burst of Violence Outside Pentagon

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) UPDATE: WASHINGTON (AP) — An officer died after being stabbed Tuesday during a burst of violence at a transit station outside the Pentagon, law enforcement officials said. A shooting resulted in the Pentagon being locked down for more than an hour. A Pentagon officer who was stabbed later died, according to officials who were not authorized to…

Hibbing Man Arrested After Allegedly Stealing St. Louis County Sheriff’s Patrol Squad Car

VIRGINIA, Minn. – A 21-year-old Hibbing man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly stole a St. Louis County Sheriff’s patrol squad and then led authorities on a vehicle pursuit towards Tower. According to police, the incident happened around 10:20 p.m. when a deputy parked the squad car outside of the County Courthouse complex in Virginia, which he believed to be…

Five Arrested in Hibbing Saturday in Connection to Meth Distribution on Iron Range

Three of the five were arrested after a traffic stop in Itasca County yielded "a large quantity of Methamphetamine."

HIBBING, Minn.- Five Hibbing residents were arrested Saturday night, in connection to a month-long investigation into meth distribution on the Iron Range, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. According to a spokesperson with the Sheriff’s Office, three of the five were arrested after a traffic stop in Itasca County yielded “a large quantity of Methamphetamine.” They were lodged…

Duluth Police: Suspect Arrested Following Shooting, ‘Short Standoff’

Investigators said the 46-year-old shot at someone after a dispute before walking to his home where a standoff ensued.

DULUTH, Minn.- One male suspect is in custody following an early morning shooting in Duluth’s Spirit Valley neighborhood, and a standoff in Morgan Park Saturday, according to the Duluth Police Department. According to a spokesperson with the Department, around 2:30 a.m. Saturday officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 4700 block of Grand Ave. At the scene,…

Female Arrested in Ashland County for Allegedly Stabbing Husband Multiple Times

ASHLAND COUNTY, Wis. – A female has been arrested in Ashland County for allegedly stabbing her husband multiple times during an altercation. According to the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, authorities responded to an “open-air” call of a male and female screaming around 2:09 a.m. Friday. When authorities called the number back they were told by a male that he had…

Two Arrested, Charged in April Hibbing Drug Bust

HIBBING, Minn. – Two people have now been federally indicted for trafficking and distributing controlled substances after Hibbing police, with the help of K9 Chase, located drugs in their vehicle during a traffic stop in April. According to authorities, Hibbing officers conducted a traffic stop on an SUV around 1:50 a.m. on the morning of April 20. During the traffic…

Man Charged With Killing Officer on Reservation in Minnesota

RED LAKE, Minn. (AP) – A man has been charged with the killing of a Red Lake Nation police officer who was fatally shot while responding to a call to a residence on the tribe’s reservation in northwestern Minnesota. Twenty-eight-year-old David Donnell Jr., of Redby, is charged in federal court with one count of second-degree murder and four counts of…

Court Nixes New Trial for ‘Making a Murderer’ Subject Avery

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Court of Appeal has rejected a request by “Making a Murderer” subject Steven Avery for a new trial. Avery is serving a life sentence for the 2005 killing of photographer Teresa Halbach. The case was the focus of a popular Netflix series whose creators raised questions about the convictions of Avery and his nephew,…

Four Arrested During Multiple Arrest Operations in Connection to Duluth Shootings

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police say four individuals were arrested Monday morning during multiple arrest and search warrant operations stemming from an ongoing investigation into Duluth shootings. Around 8:00 a.m. the Duluth Police Department, DPD’s Tactical Response Team, the Lake Superior Drug, and Violent Crime Task Force, Duluth Police Violent Crimes Unit, and St. Louis County Emergency Response Team conducted…

Duluth Man Arrested in Connection to June Downtown Shooting

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police have arrested and charged a 37-yer-old Duluth man with second-degree attempted murder after he shot a 41-year-old during a verbal altercation last month. Police say, James Lamont Burns, 37, shot 41-year-old William David Urrutia on the 100 block of East 3rd Street around 9:15 p.m. June 20. According to the criminal complaint, Urrutia was transported…

Duluth Police: Four Arrested in Connection to Duluth Shootings

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police say four people were arrested on Monday morning as part of an arrest and search warrant operation in connection to shootings that have occurred in Duluth. Authorities say the Duluth Police Department, DPD’s Tactical Response Team, the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, Duluth Police Violent Crimes Unit, and St. Louis County Emergency…

‘Operation’ Being Conducted at Site of Recent Downtown Duluth Shootings

DULUTH, Minn.-Multiple agencies are conducting an “operation” on the 100 block of East Third Street, which is the same area where there was some recent shootings. The Duluth Police Department, DPD’s Tactical Response Team, the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and St. Louis County’s Emergency Response Team are at the scene. The public is asked to stay…

Duluth Police Union Calls Lack Of Qualified Officer Candidates A ‘Crisis’

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s police union is calling the struggle to hire qualified officers a “crisis” for the police department and the city. In a post on Local 807’s Facebook page, the union said they recently were not able to fill all open police officer positions because there weren’t enough qualified candidates interested in working for the Duluth Police Department….

Authorities Identify Victims In Wisconsin Triple Homicide

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) – Authorities have identified the victims of a triple homicide in far western Wisconsin. The La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office says the bodies of 24-year-old Peng Lor, 24-year-old Nemo Yang and 23-year-old Trevor Maloney were discovered shortly before 5 a.m. Friday by two workers of the Milestone Quarry. The quarry is located near West Salem, about…

Suspect Arrested for Burglary of Duluth Essentia Pharmacy

DULUTH, Minn.-A 32-year-old man has been arrested after being accused of burglarizing Essentia’s Third Street pharmacy in Duluth. Police accuse the suspect of being involved in a burglary that happened at 1:08 a.m., at a pharmacy inside Essentia Health’s Third Street Clinic on Friday, July 16. Police say the suspect broke an exterior glass window, made entry into the pharmacy,…

Shootings During Milwaukee NBA Finals Celebrations Wound 3

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Police say two shootings in downtown Milwaukee early Wednesday as crowds celebrated the Milwaukee Bucks’ first NBA championship in 50 years left three people wounded. The shootings both happened about 12:42 a.m. at two locations near Water Street. TV station WISN had a reporter broadcasting when multiple shots were heard, prompting people to flee. Police say a…

Trump Inaugural Committee Head Accused of Being UAE Agent

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) NEW YORK (AP) – The chair of former President Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee was arrested Tuesday in California on charges alleging that he and others conspired to influence Trump’s foreign policy positions to benefit the United Arab Emirates. Tom Barrack was among three men charged in New York federal court with trying to influence…

Capitol Rioter Who Breached Senate Gets 8 Months for Felony

(AP) – A Florida man who breached the U.S. Senate chamber carrying a Trump campaign flag has received an eight-month prison term, the first resolution for a felony case in the Capitol insurrection. Prosecutors wanted Paul Allard Hodgkins to serve 18 months behind bars, saying he and other Jan. 6 rioters “contributed to the collective threat to democracy.” A lawyer…

Duluth Police Searching for Kwik Trip Robbery Suspect

(courtesy: Facebook/Duluth Police Department) DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a man they say is allegedly involved in a robbery with a weapon at a Kwik Trip store in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. According to a Monday Facebook post on the Duluth Police Department page, the robbery happened on July 14, at…