Crime

DPD Asking for Public Assistance in Identifying Shoplifting Suspect

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying an individual who shoplifted from JC Penny last week. This event happened last Tuesday, April 8. The shoplifting suspect is described as a white female with red hair wearing a black vest, blue sweatshirt, and black leggings. The DPD is encouraging the public to call 911…

Stolen Vehicle Located, Minutes After Police Appeal to Public for Info

DULUTH, Minn. – Minutes after appealing to the public for information, police say they recovered a stolen vehicle that originally fled from them Saturday night. In a press release Monday afternoon, Duluth Police asked the public for information to help locate a stolen vehicle. Police said the “vehicle that fled from officers on Saturday, April 12 around 3 a.m. in…

Investigation into Drive-By Shooting Report on FDL Reservation

FOND DU LAC RESERVATION, Minn. – Authorities are investigating after reports of a drive-by shooting Thursday night on the Fond Du Lac Reservation. Cloquet and Fond Du Lac Police were called to the 300 block of Brookston Rd around 9:10 p.m. on Thursday, for reports of shots being fired from a passing vehicle.  No injuries were reported. As of publishing,…

Anti-Human Trafficking Bills Announced with Bi-Partisan Support

Two U-S senators, including Minnesota’s Amy Klobuchar, are working across the aisle to combat human trafficking. Senator Klobuchar, a democrat, has co-sponsored three bills with Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, a republican. They held a virtual press conference today to announce their newest bill called “The Combating Trafficking and Transportation Act.” This act aims to provide federal funding toward a public…

‘Animal Torture’ Case Leads to Charges Against Hibbing Man

HIBBING, Minn. – Authorities say they arrested a Hibbing man “for (the) charge of animal torture” after multiple people came forward as witnesses to the alleged abuse of the man’s young dog. Hibbing Police arrested 35-year-old Trevor Michael Ross on Friday for one felony count of animal cruelty amounting to torture and one misdemeanor count for deprivation of food or…

Duluth Police Investigate Downtown Stabbing

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police are investigating a stabbing downtown. The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 100-block of East 3rd Street. A police spokesperson said a 33-year-old man was stabbed in the arm while walking. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. A suspect was identified Tuesday, and their vehicle was towed for evidence. Investigators…

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…

One Arrested After Armed Home Invasion Near Oliver

OLIVER, Wis. – One person is in custody after an armed home invasion took place near Oliver Sunday. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says they responded to the home on Highway 105 near the village.  They activated their Special Response Team to investigate while deputies and the Wisconsin State Patrol contained the area. The sheriff’s office says a suspect was…

Sister Charged in Stabbing at Gary New Duluth Residence, Police

DULUTH, Minn. – A woman was stabbed twice in the neck by her sister during an argument Monday morning, Duluth Police allege. Charges have been filed against 19-year-old Nyeima Leerose Saice after she allegedly stabbed her sister in the neck during an argument. Around 2:46 a.m. on Monday, Duluth Police received a call that claimed a female had been stabbed…

Shooting Victim Led High Speed Chase to Cloquet Hospital: Warrant Alleges

No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed

CLOQUET, Minn. – Carlton County Sheriffs say that when responding to an alleged shooting, the victim led them on a chase that reached speeds over 100 mph and involved deputies attempting to stop the vehicle with spike strips.  Around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Carlton County 911 dispatch received a report that a man had been shot in the leg at…

Update: Death Investigation In Eveleth Not Criminal

UPDATE April 2, 2025:  Eveleth Police Chief Jesse Linde provided an update Wednesday on a Mar. 30 death investigation. Linda said all criminal wrongdoing had be cleared in the case. He said the victim took their own life. EVELETH, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting the Eveleth Police Department in a death investigation. Police Chief Jesse…

Drug Bust in Hibbing Nabs Re-Offender on Probation, Charges State

HIBBING, Minn. – Man sentenced to probation in February for selling cocaine, was arrested in a Hibbing drug bust on Friday. St. Louis County Sheriffs arrested 56-year-old Larry Connail Wilkins at his apartment in Hibbing last Friday. The arrest during a search of the apartment found a digital scale, psilocybin mushrooms, “107 grams of cocaine,” and roughly $8,000 in cash,…

Bemidji Man Sentenced to Over 21 in Prison for Child Sex Abuse Charges

BEMIDJI, Minn. — On Tuesday, a Bemidji man was sentenced to over 21 years in prison after advertising and distributing child sexual abuse images on the dark web. According to court documents and evidence presented in trail, Craig James Myran, age 47 of Bemidji, used an account on the dark web to distribute over one-thousand images of child sexual abuse…

Minnesota Officials Seek Answers In Case Of Graduate Student Detained By ICE

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Officials in Minnesota are seeking answers in the case of a University of Minnesota graduate student who’s being detained by U.S. immigration authorities for unknown reasons. University leadership said Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained the student Thursday at an off-campus residence. Officials said the school was not given advance notice about the detention and did not share…

14 Arrested in Sex Offender Compliance Operation

DULUTH, Minn. — 14 sex offenders were arrested after multiple agencies conducted a compliance operation in Duluth. The U.S. Marshal’s Sex Offender Investigation Branch partnered with the Duluth Police Department, and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office to complete the operation between February 3 and March 21. According to a press release from the Duluth Police Department, there are 338…

Shots Fired Call at Former ‘Revive Church’ Pastor’s Home, Duluth Police Still Investigating

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police say they found two shattered windows “likely caused by a BB gun” when responding to a shots fired call at the home of the, now, former pastor of Revive City Church.  Around 11:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Duluth Police said they responded to a shots fired call at a residence on the 2000 block of Adirondack…

Protestors Continued Calls for a Duluth Pastor to Resign; Hours Later, They Succeeded

DULUTH, Minn. – Hours after a second day of protests came to a close, the pastor of Revive City Church resigned from his position. On Monday, protestors continued there calls for Revive City Church of Duluth pastor, Ronald Allen, to be removed from leadership. Allen released a statement on Facebook around 10:00 p.m., which said he would be resigning from…

A Judge blocks Release Of Ex-Minnesota Senator Accused of Soliciting Minor

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A judge on Monday blocked the release of a former Minnesota state senator charged with soliciting a minor, after prosecutors leveled fresh allegations that he tried to obstruct the FBI’s investigation from jail. U.S. Magistrate Judge Shannon Elkins ruled that Justin Eichorn should remain jailed instead of being released to a halfway house on Tuesday…

Protestors Shout Down Pastor’s ‘Last’ Service After Past Abuse Comes to Light

DULUTH, Minn. – Tensions ran high as police, protestors, and parishioners stood off outside of Revive City Church of Duluth after records showed the lead pastor pled guilty to sexually abusing two girls in 2000-2001 while he was working as a youth minister for a different church.  On Friday, Revive City Church’s Facebook page created an event titled “One Last…

Duluth Church Leader Speaks About Past Criminal History Surrounding his Time as a Youth Pastor

Click the video above for the full on-air story DULUTH, Minn. – The pastor of a recovery focused Duluth church is speaking about his past criminal history involving sexual conduct convictions against two 13-year-old girls while he was working as a youth pastor at a different church. Pastor Ronald Allen and his wife, October, started Revive City Church of Duluth…

4 Arrested in East 3rd Street Drug Bust

DULUTH, Minn. — Early Thursday morning, the multiple policing agencies were gathered to safety execute a high risk search warrant and arrested 4 people. This happened approximately around 3:45 a.m. on the 100 block of East 3rd Street. Members of DPD’s Tactical Response Team, DPD’s Investigation and Patrol Division, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force,…

Rock Ridge HS Dean of Students Arrested on Georgia Warrant for Soliciting Child on App

VIRGINIA, Minn -Warrants claim the Rock Ridge High School Dean of Students sent graphic photos/videos of himself from within the school as part of soliciting a child from Georgia over an app. Tuesday evening, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 51-year-old Christopher John Chad pending extradition to Georgia for online child solicitation. Chad is the Dean…

GOP State Senator Arrested by Bloomington PD for Allegedly Soliciting a Child for Sex

Detectives say they communicated with Eichorn, while posing as a 17-year-old girl

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – A GOP State Senator for Minnesota’s 6th District was arrested for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution, Bloomington Police say. Tuesday, Bloomington Police announced they had arrested Justin David Eichorn, the Republican state Senator from Grand Rapids who represents District 6, for pending charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. A press release by the department said…

Additional Drug and Firearm Charges for Hibbing Man

HIBBING, Minn. – A Hibbing man charged with distributing illicit material of children is now facing additional drug and firearm charges, court documents show. The Hibbing man charged just weeks ago on nine counts of distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over the messaging app “Kik” is facing new charges. Joshua Eckstrom, 46, was arrested on Feb. 26 after local…

Cloquet High School and Middle School Evacuated After Alleged ‘Swatting’ Call, CPD

CLOQUET, Minn. – Cloquet Police say they received a call reporting a bomb and a person with a gun outside of the high school but have since given the ‘all clear.’ Around 12:16 p.m. today, a call came into Carlton County dispatchers reporting a bomb and a person with a rifle at Cloquet High School. According to a press release…

After 2 Years on the Run, Man Accused of Sex Crime is Back in Minnesota to Face Charge

DULUTH, Minn. – A man charged with sexual assault in Minnesota was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Maine, after spending two years on the run. After spending over two years on the run, 42-year-old Samuel Adam Linkert is back in Minnesota. Linkert is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from an alleged assault that occurred at a Duluth residence…

Two Men From Illinois Assaulted Man in Hibbing Over Owed Money, Charges Claim

HIBBING, Minn. – A daylight attack by two men in Hibbing last Friday against another man who owed them money resulted in a high-speed chase, authorities say. Two men have been charged in connection to an assault on another man in Hibbing last Friday. According to the charges, the suspects, Kimonte Travion Cadge, 27, and Genio Taroyes Keller, 31, are…

Isle Police Department Requesting Help to Find Missing Teen

ISLE, Minn. — The Isle Police Department is asking for public assistance in locating a missing teenager. The missing teen is known as Brody Schwarzbauer, age 16. He was last seen on March 3, 2025, around 7:30 p.m. leaving his parent’s residence. Schwarzbauer was last seen wearing a Grey sweatshirt with “Mille Lacs Lake” printed on it, blue jeans, and…

Meth and Firearm Found after Vehicle Chase in Cass Co

Authorities say approximately 80 grams of methamphetamine and a 9mm pistol were found

CASS LAKE, Minn. – A cordial traffic stop turned vehicle pursuit resulted in the discovery of 80 grams of meth and firearm, according to Leech Lake Tribal Police. What started as a cordial traffic stop last Thursday quickly turned into a vehicle pursuit,  the discovery of 80 grams of meth and a firearm. On Thursday, a Leech Lake Tribal Police Officer…

Accused Stalker Arrested Again While on Pre-Trial Release

PROCTOR, Minn. – A man was granted pre-trial release after submitting guilty pleas in two cases; but “within two hours” of leaving custody, the victim said his attempts to contact her continued. Over the last eight months, multiple criminal cases have been filed against Rocky Allen Wrazidlo Jr., 27, of Proctor, for charges including harassment, first-degree burglary, and false imprisonment….

Rock Ridge High School Employee is Suspect in Child Sex Crime Investigation

The employee has not been arrested but was placed on paid leave

VIRGINIA, Minn. – A Rock Ridge High School employee is on paid leave, after the St. Louis County Sheriff and the Minnesota BCA began investigating him for child sex crimes. In a Friday press release, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said they had conducted search warrants at multiple locations across Virginia and Eveleth on Mar. 6, including at the…

New Richmond Police: 70-Year-Old Man Murdered Wife Before Attempting to Dispose of Body

The couple were former long-time residents of Superior

NEW RICHMOND, Wisc. – Police say a 70-year-old man murdered his wife, before then disposing of her body in a rural area. On Sunday, Mar. 2, New Richmond Police responded to the residence of 70-year-old Gordon Charles Laakso and his wife, 68-year-old Mary Laakso. According to a press release, “The 911 caller indicated that Mary’s husband…made statements that led them…

Hibbing Man Used App to Send Child Sexual Abuse Material, Charges Allege

Law enforcement claim they connected the man to multiple different accounts on the app

HIBBING, Minn. – Law enforcement say they found “unused children’s underwear” and “a bouncy house,” when searching the home of a Hibbing man charged with sharing explicit videos of minors on a messaging app. On Friday, 45-year-old Joshua John Eckstrom of Hibbing was charged with nine felony counts for disseminating CSAM over the messaging app ‘Kik.’ The investigation into Eckstrom…

Sawyer County Arsonist Remains at Large as Victims Remain Fearful

The string of fires last November saw homes and businesses destroyed

SAWYER COUNTY, Wisc. – As some victims attempt to rebuild, they grapple with the fear of an arsonist still at large. Nearly 100 days since the last fire, the small communities and towns in the southeastern Sawyer County have been left scarred. The six structure fires occurred over a nine-day period in late November and impacted homes, businesses, and even…

Charges: Park Point Burglary Suspect Carried Hammer

There were no injuries reported from the incident

DULUTH, Minn. – Charges say a man entered a stranger’s home on Park Point with a hammer and pliers. Around 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Duluth Police responded to a residence on Minnesota Ave on Park Point for reports of an intruder with a weapon. When officers arrived, they were able to identify the suspect as 42-year-old Brian Adam Burba of…

Woman Airlifted After Fingertip Bitten Off During Aurora Assault

The woman's current condition is not known by law enforcement

AURORA, Minn. – Police say a woman’s condition is still unknown after having her finger bitten off in a midday assault, this past Monday. According to charging documents, East Range Police were called to the Iron Gate Apartments in Aurora around 12:30 p.m. on Monday for reports of an assault. Officers said that when they arrived, they found 29-year-old Madusu…

Two Harbors Man Found Guilty of Sexual Assault

TWO HARBORS, Minn. — A Two Harbors man has been found guilty of sexually abusing his underage female family member. This comes after 45-year-old Michael Brian bailey previously pleaded guilty in 2020 to sexually assaulting a different underage female family member. The newest allegations came to light in 2023, by the victim. She said she was 5 years old when…

Fentanyl found during traffic stop in Carlton County

CARLTON COUNTY, Minn. — Carlton County Deputies say they found nearly half a pound of suspected Fentanyl under the hood of a car during a traffic stop on Thursday. The sheriff’s office was informed by other law enforcement officers to be on the lookout for a vehicle driven by 45-year-old Johnny Glendale Williams. According to the charges, Deputies learned there…

6 Arrested in International Falls in Drug Bust

*This article was updated with the names of those charged.* INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. — A drug bust in Koochiching County  lead to the arrest of 6 people and the recovery of approximately 9.5 ounces of suspected methamphetamine. On February 18, the Koochiching County Deputies executed a search warrant on a vehicle and their occupants on the 1500 block of 1st…

Man Arrested for Child Sex Crimes, After Initially Claiming he was Assaulted by Juvenile

FOND DU LAC RESERVATION – Police say they responded to a call from man in his 60s claiming to have been assaulted by a juvenile; but further investigation into the incident led to child sex crime charges against him. Fond Du Lac Police arrested 62-year-old Phillip Alexander Petite Tuesday on charges of criminal sexual conduct with a child. The arrest…

Online Investigation Leads to Child Pornography Charges Against Superior Man

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – Investigators say they located multiple examples of child sexual abuse material when searching devices found in Patrick Anthony West’s room. In early January, the Wisconsin Department of Justice passed on a “CyberTip” to Superior Police from the Nation Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to a criminal complaint, the NCMEC said suspected child pornography had…

Gov Evers Floats Plan To Close 19th-Century WI Prison, Overhaul Corrections System

Courtesy: Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s second-oldest prison, built in the 1800s and long targeted for closure, would finally be shuttered under a new plan from Gov. Tony Evers that proposes sweeping changes to the state’s troubled correctional system without building a new facility, as some lawmakers have long called for. Evers presented his plan as the best…

Aitkin Daytime Stabbing Hospitalizes 2 Women; Suspect Later Arrested in Ramsey County

AITKIN, Minn. – Police say they found a bloody scene when responding to a slashing at a residence in the quiet community of Aitkin, that left two women in the hospital. Aitkin Police responded to a residence on First Street Northwest around 10:56 a.m. on Wednesday after they received a call that a female had been stabbed. Officers found the…

Shooting in Rural Cass County

BACKUS, Minn. – A victim’s condition is unknown after a shooting in rural Cass County last Thursday. Cass County Sheriffs responded to a residence near rural Backus around 11:30 p.m. Thursday evening after reports of a shooting. According to the sheriff’s office, first responders found a 36-year-old male with gunshot wounds at the scene, who was transported by air to…