Crime

Police: 5 People Shot, Wounded Near University of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Police say five people were shot late Friday in the Dinkytown neighborhood near the University of Minnesota. Just before midnight Friday, police responded to a call of shots fired. Officers found three men and two women had suffered noncritical gunshot wounds. Police spokesman John Elder says the five victims were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Elder…

Trucker Who Drove Into Floyd Protest Could Have Charges Drop

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A truck driver who drove through a large crowd of protesters on a Minneapolis highway last year during demonstrations over George Floyd’s death will have criminal charges dropped if he remains law-abiding for the next year. Hennepin County prosecutors entered into a “continuance without prosecution” agreement with Bogdan Vechirko, of Otsego, on Friday during a virtual court…

St. Louis County Attorney: Use of Deadly Force Justified in Saginaw Officer-Involved Shooting

SAGINAW, Minn. – The St. Louis County Attorney’s Office has ruled that the use of deadly force was justified in a January officer-involved shooting in Saginaw. The ruling is in connection to a January 29, 2021 incident, when Deputy Jason Kuhnly of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office fired his gun in the direction of 34-year-old Scott Michael Jordan while…

Suspect in Lakeside Stabbing Formally Charged

DULUTH, Minn. – The 28-year-old Duluth man arrested for allegedly stabbing a 78-year-old man at his Lakeside home on Wednesday has been formally charged. Authorities say Warren Holt Jr. is charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, and two counts of first-degree burglary. According to the criminal complaint, officers responded to reports of a medical assault just before 2:00 p.m. Wednesday on…

Suspect Arrested for Assaulting, Stabbing 78-Year-Old Man in Lakeside

DULUTH, Minn. – Authorities say a 28-year-old Duluth man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a 78-year-old man at his home in Lakeside and then stealing his truck. Warren Holt Jr. is currently being lodged at the St. Louis County Jail on pending charges of first-degree aggravated robbery, first and second-degree assault, and motor vehicle theft. According to the Duluth…

Man Who Drove at Minneapolis Protesters Charged With Murder

(Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office via AP) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A St. Paul man has been charged with intentional second-degree murder for allegedly driving into a group of protesters in Minneapolis. Prosecutors say 35-year-old Nicholas Kraus was drunk Sunday night when he tried to “jump” a car that was being used as a barricade by protesters in the city’s Uptown neighborhood….

Man Jailed in Fatal Crash at Minneapolis Rally Has Past DWIs

(Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office via AP) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis police say a 35-year-old St. Paul man with multiple convictions for driving while impaired is the driver who plowed into a crowd of demonstrators, killing one and injuring three others. Police say Nicholas Kraus was booked into the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide. Online jail records…

Former NFL Player, Poplar Native, Charged With Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child

DULUTH, Minn. – Former NFL football player and Poplar native, Tom Burke, 44, has been arrested and charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct of a 7-year-old girl. According to the criminal complaint, St. Louis County dispatch received a call from a “distraught adult female” in February who said the young victim told her “I need to tell you something that’s…

Police: Vehicle Plows Into Minnesota Protesters, Killing 1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A woman was killed and another person was injured after being struck by a car during a protest in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood where a Black man was fatally shot earlier this month during an arrest attempt, police said Monday. The suspect was pulled from his vehicle by protesters after the 11:39 p.m. Sunday crash; was taken into police custody…

Duluth Investigators Arrest Longtime Heroin, Fentanyl Dealer

According to officials, investigators seized over 60 grams of fentanyl, 250 ecstasy pills, meth, cocaine, and $3,246 in drug sale proceeds.

DULUTH, Minn.- The Duluth Police Department and Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force arrested a man Friday, seizing fentanyl and other drugs as well as thousands in drug sale money. According to a spokesperson with the City of Duluth, at approximately 12:40 p.m., officers from the Duluth Police Department arrested longtime heroin and fentanyl dealer, Carvell N. Robinson,…

Hibbing Man Hit With Murder Charge In 2017 Homicide

HIBBING, Minn. – A Hibbing man charged in the death of a woman in 2017 has been hit with a new charge in the case: second-degree murder. 51-year-old Blake Stangel was also charged about two weeks ago with second-degree manslaughter. He’s charged in connection to the 2017 Hibbing homicide of 71-year-old Courtney Fenske. Court documents say Fenske was found dead…

Justices to Decide if Charge Fits Minneapolis Police Killing

MINNEAPOLIS-The Minnesota Supreme Court hears oral arguments Wednesday in the case of Mohamed Noor. He’s the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of third-degree murder in the shooting death of an Australian woman who had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Noor’s attorneys argue that a divided Minnesota Court of Appeals failed to follow…

The Latest: Ex-Pharmacist Gets 3 Years in Jail for Tampering

(Ozaukee County Sheriff via AP) MILWAUKEE — A former pharmacist in Wisconsin who intentionally ruined more than 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine has been sentenced to three years in prison. Steven Brandenburg, of Grafton, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in February to two felony counts of attempting to tamper with a consumer product. He had admitted to removing…

2 More Suspects Arrested For Shooting At Duluth Homicide Suspect, Final Suspect At Large

DULUTH, Minn. — Two more suspects, a 17-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man, were arrested Thursday in connection to Duluth’s first homicide of the year. Homicide victim Juamada Anderson Jr., 22, of Duluth. Four firearms were collected between the two suspects who are accused of firing back at Patrick Battees Jr., 17, of Proctor shortly after police say Battees shot…

Lawsuit Alleges Minneapolis Withholds Police Misconduct Data

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A group that advocates for government transparency has sued the city of Minneapolis, alleging it uses a loophole known as coaching to circumvent public data laws and keep hundreds of police misconduct records private. Complaints against police are classified as public if the officer is disciplined. But the lawsuit alleges that Minneapolis says one-on-one mentoring known as…

More Felony Sexual Assault Charges Filed Against Former Superior Gymnastics Coach

DULUTH, Minn. – More sexual assault charges have been filed against former Superior gymnastics coach George Deppa, 47, who is already accused of sexually assaulting three teens he previously coached. The newest complaint charges Deppa with two counts of felony first-degree sexual conduct. According to court documents, the victim told authorities that between the ages of 8 and 10 Deppa…

State Seeks 30 Years for Chauvin; Defense Wants Time Served

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence for the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd, but a defense attorney is asking that Derek Chauvin be sentenced to probation and time already served. Chauvin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 following his conviction on murder and manslaughter charges. Judge Peter…

Vandalism Found at Bay View Elementary School

PROCTOR, Minn.– This past weekend, Bay View Elementary School in Proctor discovered vandalism to its playground, after students worked so hard, planting and improving their yard for spring. According to the superintendent, John Engelking, it was a very disappointing discovery of the graffiti on the playground, along with multiple plants ripped up. It took multiple members of staff and about…

One Arrested in Cass County Shots Fired Incident

CASS COUNTY, Minn. – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a 25-year-old male has been arrested in connection to a Tuesday morning shots fired incident. Deputies responded to reports of several shots fired at individuals around 10:32 a.m. in the Sugar Point area of Gould Township. When authorities arrived at the scene they spoke with the caller who was reported…

Chauvin Faces Hearing on Federal Charges in Floyd’s Death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in last year’s death of George Floyd is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court for allegedly violating Floyd’s civil rights. Derek Chauvin is scheduled to appear in court via video conference Tuesday from Minnesota’s maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he’s being held as he…

Suspect Arrested in 2017 Hibbing Homicide

HIBBING, Minn. – Authorities say a suspect has been arrested and charged in connection to the 2017 Hibbing homicide of 71-year-old Courtney Fenske. According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, 51-year-old Blake Stangel was charged Friday with second-degree manslaughter, He is currently being held at the St.Louis County Jail on $100,000 bail. Court documents say Fenske was found dead…

Superior Armed Robbery, Shoplifting Suspect Formally Charged

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Authorities say the male suspect arrested in Duluth Wednesday in connection to an armed robbery and shoplifting incident in Superior has been formally charged. Norman Wayne Cutbank, 25, of Duluth is charged with one count of armed robbery with use of force, one count of attempted armed robbery with threat of force, and one count of attempting…

Superior Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested in Duluth

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior police say the suspect in a Wednesday evening armed robbery and shoplifting incident was located and arrested in Duluth following a short pursuit from Superior. Authorities say officers responded to a CVS located at North 28th Street and Tower Avenue around 5:45 p.m. on reports of an armed robbery. Police say the suspect had robbed the…

8 Dead in Shooting at Railyard Serving Silicon Valley

(AP Photo/Noah Berger) SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — An assailant opened fire at a California railyard serving Silicon Valley, killing eight people. Authorities say the suspect is also dead. The shooting took place around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday at a light rail facility in San Jose next door to the sheriff’s department and across a freeway from the airport. The facility…

Superior Gymnastics Coach Charged with Sexually Assaulting Third Teenager

DULUTH, Minn. – A third teenage girl has come forward saying she was sexually assaulted by the Superior gymnastics coach charged earlier this month with sexually assaulting two teens he previously coached at Twin Ports Gymnastics. George Deppa Jr., 47, is charged with an additional count of felony sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age. Earlier this…

Duluth Police Arrest Second Suspect in Fatal Downtown Shooting

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police announced Wednesday morning that a second suspect wanted in Saturday’s fatal downtown shooting has been arrested. According to police, Laurel Ladd, 25, was arrested around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday after investigators identified an address on East Village View Drive in the Harbor Highlands as a possible location for Ladd. Ladd was located at the address and…

George Floyd Remembered At Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial One Year After Death

A black lives matter group met in front of the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial on First Street, before going on a silent march through downtown.

DULUTH, Minn.- It’s been one year since George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by ex-cop Derek Chauvin. Across the country and in Duluth, groups gathered to remember him. A black lives matter group met in front of the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial on First Street, before going on a silent march through downtown. Organizers say after Chauvin was convicted of…

Duluth Boxer Among 2 Additional Suspects Charged with Gunfire After Fatal Shooting

The homicide victim has also been identified as Juamada Anderson Jr., 22, of Duluth.

DULUTH, Minn.- The search is on for two suspects Tuesday – one a well-known Duluth boxer — who police say were involved in return gunfire following this past weekend’s fatal shooting downtown. Homicide Victim 22-year-old Juamada Anderson “There was a shooting and the tragic death of Juamada,” said Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken. “And then as the suspect is fleeing…

Duluth Boxer Among 2 Additional Suspects Charged in Connection with Fatal Shooting

Arrests warrants were issued Tuesday for boxer Markus Morris and Laurel Ladd Jr.

DULUTH — Two additional suspects have now been charged in connection to a weekend shooting in Duluth that left one man dead, and one of the suspects is a well-known professional boxer from Duluth. Patrick Battess Jr., 17, charged in the shooting death of Jaumada Anderson Jr., 22. Markus Morris, 31, of Duluth is charged in St. Louis County Court…

17-Year-Old Charged in Fatal Downtown Duluth Shooting

UPDATE: DULUTH, Minn. – Patrick Battees Jr., the 17-year-old male charged with second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old male Saturday night in downtown Duluth, is said to have been involved in a fight prior to the shooting. Court documents say officers reviewed surveillance footage from the night of the shooting which showed the teen pulling a gun…

Brevator Township Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Fond du Lac Reservation Fatal Shooting

CLOQUET, Minn. – The Brevator Township man charged with murder for shooting his friend at his home in November 2019 has been sentenced 86 months in prison. Thomas Allen Micklewrigh, 45, pleaded guilty in March to fatally shooting his friend 65-year-old James Arthur Couture at his home located at the 3500 block of Brevator Road. When police arrived on the…

Weekend Shooting in Duluth Now City’s First Homicide of 2021

The suspected shooter is a 17-year-old male from Duluth.

DULUTH, Minn. –  A man who was seriously injured during a shooting in Duluth Saturday has died, making his death the city’s first homicide of 2021. A spokesperson for the city said the victim is a 22-year-old male from Duluth.   His name was not released Sunday pending notification of family members. The suspected shooter is a 17-year-old male from Duluth…

Update: Duluth Police Detain Suspect After Downtown Shooting

One Victim Shot, One Suspect Detained While Police Search for Second Suspect

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police responded shortly after 7 p.m. to the report of a shooting on the 100 block of East 3rd Street in Duluth. Upon arrival, police found one victim who was in serious condition and brought to a local hospital. Police were able to identify and detain one suspect. Police are looking for a second suspect. This…

2 Dead, 8 Wounded in Downtown Minneapolis Shooting

The Shooting Happened Early Saturday Morning in Downtown Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A shooting in downtown Minneapolis killed two people and wounded eight others, police said early Saturday. The 10 people shot included five men and five women, the police department said in a series of tweets. Two of the men died and another man was at a hospital in critical condition, police said. The other seven wounded people…

Attorneys: Rittenhouse Trial in November Could Take 2 Weeks

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, Pool) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Attorneys say the November trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois man accused of killing two people during a protest in Wisconsin last summer, could take up to two weeks. Rittenhouse’s attorneys and prosecutors confirmed with Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder during a status conference Friday that the trial will begin…

AG Ellison to Take Over Prosecution in Daunte Wright Shooting Death

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is taking over the prosecution of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter for the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, FOX 9 has confirmed. Ellison’s handling of the case will include a review of the criminal charges. There is no word yet if the charges will be enhanced to murder. Sources…

Rittenhouse Due to Make First in-Person Court Appearance

(Antioch Police Department via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois man accused of killing two people during a protest in Wisconsin over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, is expected to make his first in-person court appearance. Rittenhouse is set to appear at a status conference Friday morning in Kenosha County Circuit Court. Rittenhouse’s attorneys and prosecutors…

Appeals Court Hears Case of 3 Ex-Cops Charged in Floyd Death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Attorneys for the state and for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd are making oral arguments Thursday before the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Prosecutors will seek to add an additional charge of aiding and abetting third-degree murder to the case. Thomas Lane, J. Kueng, and Tou Thao are already charged with…

Standoff In Superior Ends Safely With Arrest

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A standoff situation in Superior ended peacefully with a felony arrest of a man. The call for help came in around 5 p.m. Wednesday for a disturbance at a residents on the 1600 block of Cumming Avenue. During the investigation, authorities learned a male suspect with several warrants for his arrest, including one for a felony charge,…

Wisconsin Judge Jailed After Appearing on Child Porn Charges

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin juvenile court judge accused of possessing and distributing child pornography was taken into federal custody after making his initial appearance in court. The lawyer for Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Brett Blomme, charged in federal court with two counts of distributing child pornography, said in court Wednesday that Blomme decided on his own not to seek…

Gilbert Man Arrested, Charged for Exposing Himself to Children

VIRGINIA, Minn. – Police say a 27-year-old Gilbert man was arrested Monday after exposing his genitals to multiple children and hitting a woman on the buttocks as she mowed her lawn in Virginia. According to the criminal complaint, Logan Andrew Smitherman has been charged with fifth-degree non-consensual sexual contact and two charges of fifth-degree lewd exhibition with children under 16…

NorthlandAlert Used For First Time To Alert Public Of Loose NERCC Inmate

ST. LOUIS CO., Minn. — If you ever want to be aware of emergency situations unfolding in St. Louis County as they happen, you can sign up for NorthlandAlert. It’s a free warning service you can subscribe to and get alerts through emails, texts, and phone calls. It covers many types of emergency situations in the county, and was used…

Duluth Man on Parole for Murder, Now Charged in Kidnapping, Rape

DULUTH, Minn. – A 62-year-old Duluth man currently out on parole for first-degree murder has been charged for the kidnapping and rape of a woman over the weekend in St. Louis County. Reports state that Dennis John Hannuksela has been charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of kidnapping. According to the criminal complaint, the…

‘Armed and Dangerous’ Suspect Wanted in Two Cloquet Shootings

One man was hospitalized after being shot in the leg.

CLOQUET, Minn. – The Cloquet Police Department says it’s searching for a suspect believed to be involved in two separate shootings in Cloquet early Monday morning. According to police, officers responded to a report of shots fired at a home at 227 Scotty Drive just after midnight. Officers responded to the residence and confirmed the shooting. No one was reported…

UPDATE: Officer Charged in Daunte Wright Death to Stand Trial Dec. 6

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A December trial date has been set for a former suburban Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree manslaughter in Daunte Wright’s death. Former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter is scheduled to stand trial on Dec. 6, barring any future scheduling conflicts. The date was set during a Monday pretrial hearing, during which Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu…

Officer Charged in Death of Daunte Wright to Appear in Court

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A former suburban Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree manslaughter in Daunte Wright’s death is scheduled to appear in court via videoconference. Former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter has an omnibus hearing, also known as a pretrial hearing, Monday afternoon in Hennepin County. The hearing is to go over evidence and determine if there is probable cause…

UPDATE: Escaped NERCC Inmate Located, Arrested

SAGINAW, Minn. – Authorities say an inmate who escaped from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center in Saginaw on Sunday has been located and arrested. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says 48-year-old James Crabtree, of Hibbing, was located around 10:15 p.m. Sunday in Industrial Township. According to reports, an individual called the Sheriff’s Office to report a ‘suspicious person on…