Crime

St. Louis Co. Atty. Mark Rubin Supports Pardon Of Man Convicted In 1920 Duluth Rape Case Connected To Lynchings

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin says he is fully supportive of pardoning a now-dead former circus worker Max Mason who was one of six black men accused of raping a woman in Duluth, which ultimately lead to three historic lynchings downtown of Isaac McGhie, Elmer Jackson and Elias Clayton. On Friday, the Minnesota Board of Pardons…

Two Arrested in Anoka in Connection to Makinen Murder

ANOKA, Minn. — Two suspects were arrested Thursday afternoon on suspicion of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in the death of a Makinen man. FOX21 cannot name the suspects at this time because they have not been formally charged. St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office investigators and special agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension arrested a 53-year-old man and…

Duluth Police Chief Releases Video Of Recent Use-Of-Force Arrest

"The force used in this incident is consistent with the Duluth Police Department’s policies and training."

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken is addressing a use-of-force arrest that was captured on video Tuesday and shared on social media. The 28-year-old suspect in the video was wanted on felony warrants for domestic assault in Cloquet and Carlton County. Chief Tusken says officers approached the man and asked him to stop before he ran from police….

Bond Raised to $1M for Officer Charged in Floyd’s Death

UPDATE: (Fox 9) – The judge set Chauvin’s bail at $1.25 million with no conditions and $1 million with conditions that include no police or law enforcement work, no firearms, and no contact with Floyd’s family. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge on Monday set $1 million bail for an ex-Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death….

Officer Charged in Floyd’s Death has 1st Court Appearance

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The former Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday. Derek Chauvin, 44, is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25 death. Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after the white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes…

Judge: $750K Bail for Three Ex-Officers Accused in Floyd’s Death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge set bail at $750,000 apiece Thursday for three fired Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting in the killing of George Floyd, as a memorial service took place just blocks away. Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng made their first appearances in Hennepin County District Court as friends, relatives and celebrities gathered to memorialize…

3 of 4 Charged Minneapolis Police Officers to Make First Court Appearances

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Three Minneapolis Police officers charged with aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd will go before a judge for their first court appearances Thursday afternoon. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao will go before the judge at 12:45 p.m. for their first appearances since being taken into custody Wednesday. The three men were charged with aiding…

Veteran Cloquet Officer Named New Police Chief

After serving many roles including Commander and Interim Police Chief, Derek Randall is the new top cop.

CLOQUET, Minn.-. The Cloquet Police Department now has a new Police Chief. After a nine month search interviewing candidates from across the country, it is the former Commander and Interim Chief Derek Randall who is shedding the “interim” from his title and stepping into the top role. “It’s a breath of relief for sure,” Randall said. Cloquet City Council voted…

Prosecutors Charge Three More Officers in George Floyd’s Death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors on Wednesday expanded their case against the police who were at the scene of George Floyd’s death, charging three of the officers with aiding and abetting murder and upgrading the charges against the officer who pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck to second-degree murder. The most serious charge was filed against Derek Chauvin, whose caught-on-video treatment…

As Duluth Curfew Ends, Police Chief Says “We Have to Find Equality for Everyone” Going Forward

Less arrests were made during a more peaceful Sunday night, leading Mayor Larson to lift the curfew.

DULUTH, Minn.- The city-wide curfew has been lifted in Duluth since Saturday night’s protest that turned violent in Lincoln Park– and that lift, said Mayor Emily Larson, is largely because people voluntarily complied Sunday night. “Because last night went so well, because the community stepped up and provided the kinds of support many of us have needed to feel, we…

Family Autopsy: Floyd Asphyxiated by Sustained Pressure

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An autopsy commissioned for George Floyd’s family found that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression when a Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes and ignored his cries of distress, the family’s attorneys said Monday. The autopsy by a doctor who also examined Eric Garner’s body found the…

Minnesota Attorney General to Lead Prosecution in Floyd Case

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says the state’s attorney general will take the lead in any prosecutions in the death of George Floyd. Walz said he decided Attorney General Keith Ellison needs to lead the case. He made the announcement about an hour after Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced that he had asked for Ellison’s help. Minneapolis…

One Protester Arrested, Car Set on Fire During Protest on Central Entrance Saturday

Car fire was ruled an arson, no arrest made yet.

DULUTH, Minn.- At times Saturday night, Duluth Police said it became difficult to respond to incidents of concern– even with about 100 officers out when normally around 20 patrol at night– because some protesters got in cars to head up Central Entrance at one point. A long line of protesters blocked traffic on both sides of the street, eventually stopping…

Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Vandalized During Protests; Duluth NAACP Pres. Reacts

"They're frustrated so they need an outlet, so let's make better outlets for them," said NAACP Pres. Stephan Witherspoon.

DULUTH, Minn.-Clean-up began Sunday morning for one of Duluth’s most treasured memorials, the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial on East First Street. An anti-police message was spray-painted on the brick floor of the memorial during protests on Saturday. “I was hurt. I was hurt that we have to see that,” said Stephan Witherspoon, Co-Chair of the Memorial Board. The statues of…

Duluth PD Makes 11 Arrests During Saturday Night Protest; 9 p.m. Curfew Still in Effect Sunday

Police say they expect a peaceful Sunday evening; they will seek voluntary compliance for those out past curfew.

DULUTH, Minn.- According to the Duluth Police Department, 11 people were arrested during the protest between 2:45 Saturday afternoon and 4:16 a.m. Sunday. Four arrests were of juveniles which consisted of Unlawful Assembly, Felony 3rd Degree Riot, Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct, Damage to Property, Unlawful Assembly, and warrant arrests. Additionally, so far eight reports of property damage are listed: from spray…

Minneapolis Police Station Torched Overnight Amid George Floyd Protest

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Spoke Around 2:00 a.m. Friday Morning

AP Photo John Minchillo MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — Cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department was forced to abandon as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled…

FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office Making George Floyd Death Investigation a ‘Top Priority’

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office say they are making their investigation into the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody a top priority. The two organizations released a joint statement Thursday morning saying, “The Department of Justice has made the investigation a top priority and assigned experienced prosecutors and FBI criminal investigators to the matter.” Minneapolis Police…

Overnight Protests in Minneapolis Turn Violent

The protests began outside the police precinct in the part of the city where 46-year-old George Floyd died on Memorial Day.

Credit: Carlos Gonzalez/ Star Tribune via AP MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Protests rocked Minneapolis for the second straight night after a man’s death in police custody. One person was killed Wednesday night in what police were investigating as a homicide amidst violence that included looting and setting fires that continued to burn Thursday morning. The protests began outside the police precinct…

Suspect in Hayward Homicide Appears in Court; No Formal Charges Yet

Suspect's brother asks for highest bond, and for suspect to remain confined.

  HAYWARD, Wis.- It was around noon last Saturday when authorities discovered an elderly couple stabbed in their Hayward home. A 72-year-old man was dead, and a 65-year-old woman severely injured. The 34-year-old man accused of the crime is their son, and he appeared via video call in Sawyer County Court Wednesday. He has not been formally charged, but remains…

Duluth Man Charged With Felony Arson

GRAND LAKE TOWNSHIP, Minn. – A Duluth man has been charged with two counts of first-degree arson after he set fire to two structures in Grand Lake Township on Monday. Authorities say 53-year-old James Phillip Shelton set a camper and a trailer home on fire around 6:15 a.m. on the 6400 block of Beckman Road. According to the criminal complaint,…

1 Arrested For Arson After 2 Structures Go Up In Flames

GRAND LAKE TOWNSHIP, Minn. – A 53-year-old Duluth man is in jail and accused of arson after two structures went up in flames Monday in Grand Lake Township. The fires broke out around 6:30 a.m. on the 6400 block of Beckman Road. A travel trailer and mobile home were destroyed. No one was inside either structure and nobody was injured….

Man Arrested after Father Found Dead, Mother Injured from Apparent Stab Wounds

TOWN OF HAYWARD, Wis. — A Colorado man was arrested on Saturday afternoon in the town of Hayward after authorities discovered his father dead from an apparent stab wound, and his mother severely injured with lacerations. According to a press release from the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office, authorities went to the home on Hinton Avenue on Saturday afternoon after receiving…

Suspect Arrested in Connection to Grand Rapids Shooting

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Grand Rapids Police say a 36-year-old male suspect has been arrested in connection to the shooting of a Grand Rapids woman on May 8. According to police, the suspect was arrested around 9:50 p.m. on Highway 57 just south of Floodwood on Monday. Police reports indicate that the male suspect allegedly shot the 22-year-old woman in…

Bayfield Man Charged With Homicide

Erickson is Scheduled to Appear in Court Tomorrow Morning

BAYFIELD, Wis. – A 62-year-old Bayfield man has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the fatal shooting of 64-year-old Michael Kinney. According to the criminal complaint, Randy Erickson, 62, shot Kinney three times during a physical altercation on the night of May 8. According to reports law enforcement was aware, there was a long history of tension and frustration…

Suspects in Hibbing Shot Fired Incident Formally Charged

HIBBING, Minn. – Two men arrested last week in connection to a shot fired incident in Hibbing have been formally charged. One of the suspects, Nicholas Ray Champa, 22, has been charged with second-degree felony assault, felon in possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and intentionally pointing a gun at another. The other suspect, Levi Jean Jacobson, 24, has…

Two Arrested in Hibbing Shots Fired Incident

HIBBING, Minn. – The Hibbing Police Department says two males were arrested Thursday night in relation to shots fired incident. According to Hibbing Police, officers were dispatched to the 2500 Block of 4th Avenue East around 10:53 a.m. on reports of a single gunshot. When officers arrived on the scene they learned that a fight had broken out and a…

64-Year-Old Man Killed in Bayfield Shooting

BAYFIELD, Wis. – A 64-year-old man is dead after a shooting in Bayfield on Friday. The victim, Michael Kinney, was from the Township of Bayfield. The Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office tells us they received a report of a person being shot in the Township of Bayfield at about 10:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8th. Deputies determined a 64-year-old man was…

Duluth Community Walks To Honor An Unarmed Man Shot & Killed in Georgia

"I'm terrified as a mom. I can't sleep at night. I can't eat. It's a thing as a parent all you want to do is keep your kids safe," said Diana Oestreich.

DULUTH, Minn. – On Friday, the Duluth community came together to walk in honor of the life of an unarmed black man from Georgia who was tragically shot and killed while jogging back in February. Instead of celebrating what would have been his 26th birthday, the family of Ahmaud Arbery will now be mourning his death. Communities around the nation,…

Stolen Vehicle Pursuit Ends With Driver Ejected

A 33-year-old man from Ely was ejected from a vehicle Sunday that St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says was stolen. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was air lifted to a Duluth area hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The crash happened south of Mt. Iron during a high-speed pursuit after deputies tried to arrest the driver around noon…

16 Killed in Shooting Rampage, Deadliest in Canadian History

(Tim Krochak/The Canadian Press via AP) TORONTO (AP) — A gunman disguised as a police officer shot people in their homes and set fires in a rampage across the Canadian province of Nova Scotia that killed 16 people, the deadliest such attack in the country’s history. Officials said Sunday the suspected shooter was also dead. A police officer was among…

Juvenile Charged With Homicide in Fatal Ashland County Crash

ASHLAND COUNTY, Wis. – The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office says a 16-year-old male has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide in connection to a fatal crash in Ashland County Wednesday night. The Sheriff’s Department says the juvenile and the victim, Mahzhaquad Ford, had an alleged altercation during an attempted drug transaction. Authorities say during the altercation the Ford ‘became entangled…

$15,000 in Meat, Liquor Stolen From Black Water Lounge on Easter Sunday

DULUTH, Minn. – More than $15,000 worth of inventory was stolen from the Black Water Lounge in downtown Duluth on Easter Sunday. This comes at a time when restaurant owners are trying to survive with only curbside and pick-up orders during the pandemic. The suspect is seen on surveillance video taking salmon, beef and liquor from the back storage area…

Duluth Fire Department Battle Early Morning Fires

DULUTH, Minn. – Shortly after 1 a.m. Monday morning Duluth firefighters responded to a duplex apartment fire at 313 N. 59th Avenue West. Flames could be seen from the back of the building. Two cats were rescued from the building but one is still missing. All five residents were able to escape the apartment and there were no injuries reported….

Suspect Charged With Intent to Murder In Gogebic County Shooting

GOGEBIC COUNTY, Mich. — A man from Bessemer, Michigan, has been charged in the shooting of a 26-year-old man. According to the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office, the victim was shot in the chest at a home on the 300-block of Beecher Street in Bessemer on Wednesday evening. Law enforcement arrested Timothy Wigman, 26, in connection to the shooting. Wigman is…

Duluth Police Investigate ‘Shots Fired’

DULUTH, Minn. –  Duluth police are investigating after a report of “shots fired” overnight in an alley in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The report came in just before midnight Saturday between West 1st Street and West 2nd Street near 26th Avenue West. When police arrived, they found spent shell casings, according to a spokeswoman. Nobody was injured and no arrests…

Electric Fetus, Pizza Luce Businesses Damaged In Isolated Incident

  DULUTH, Minn. – On Monday night Duluth police responded to a report of criminal damage to property to two superior street businesses. Officers arrested a twenty-six-year-old individual for breaking windows at the Electric Fetus and Pizza Luce. Although this is considered an isolated incident, members of the department say during this pandemic they have responded to fewer calls for…

Former Red Cliff Vice-Chairman Charged With Intentional Homicide

BAYFIELD COUNTY, Wis. – Authorities in Bayfield County have arrested a 56-year-old Bayfield man in connection to a murder that happened in the summer of 2003. Former vice-chairman of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Michael John LaGrew was charged on Thursday with first-degree intentional homicide for the murder of 50-year-old Jody Ricard. According to the criminal complaint,…

Cloquet Man Charged With Three Counts of Second Degree Murder

CLOQUET, Minn. – The 33-year-old Cloquet man arrested in connection to the deaths of a young mother, her unborn child, and her one-year-old son on the Fond Du Lac Reservation in Cloquet has been formally charged with second-degree murder. Sheldon Thompson appeared in court Tuesday in Carlton County where he was charged with three counts of second-degree murder. Bail was…

Police: Boy Injured After being Thrown From Balcony in St. Paul

The Boy is Being Treated for Numerous Broken Bones

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Police say an 11-year-old boy is hospitalized after being thrown from a balcony in St. Paul Minnesota Monday morning. St. Paul Police Department spokesperson Steve Linders said officers were called to an apartment building at 787 Hampden Avenue around 8:40 a.m. When they arrived, they found an 11-year-old boy lying on the ground. The…