Crime

Q & A with the lead attorney suing Homeland Security for Duluth Schools

June Hoidal DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District filed a lawsuit against Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, plus other people and agencies.  The lawsuit is trying to stop immigration enforcement actions near schools.  The suit was also in partnership with the Fridley School District and the Education Minnesota teachers’ union. Just hours after the…

Duluth City Council to consider resolution on federal immigration efforts in city

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council is slated to discuss a “resolution clarifying the communication and enforcement relationship between the city and the federal government with respect to enforcement of federal civil immigration laws within the city of Duluth.” The resolution is now on the agenda for the February 9, 2026 City Council Meeting.  It is co-sponsored by city…

Inside the lawsuit: Duluth School District sues Kristi Noem

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, center, speaks during a press conference Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Minneapolis. DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District has sued Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, plus other people and agencies, in an effort to stop most immigration enforcement actions near schools. John Magas The 33-page lawsuit filed on February…

Renee Good’s brothers remember their sister at Congressional hearing

Luke Ganger, left, and Brent Ganger, right, brothers of Renee Good, appear during a Bicameral Public Forum on the Disproportionate Use of Force by DHS Agents, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Two brothers of Renee Good spoke lovingly of their sister during a hearing put on by Congressional Democrats. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three,…

Caregiver in November high speed crash had history of drinking and smoking marijuana with residents

Michael Edward Rahja Jr. DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Human Services has released its investigation into a caregiver who crashed a vehicle with vulnerable adults in it while he was allegedly drunk and high. It sheds more light on the high-speed crash that sent multiple people to the hospital.  It also has revelations of drug and alcohol abuse…

Minnesota to inspect 5,800 Medicaid providers; asking for state workers from other departments to help

Minnesota Department of Human Services Logo ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced they will begin a “massive statewide push to ensure Medicaid providers in 13 high-risk services have the qualifications required by law.” The Minnesota Department of Human Services is putting out a call across all state agencies asking them to transfer 168 qualified workers…

Man dies in St. Louis County Jail

St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Logo (Gordon Ramsay) DULUTH, Minn. – An inmate in the St. Louis County jail has died.  The St. Louis County Sherriff’s Office reports on January 27, 2026, at approximately 1:05 a.m., a correctional officer conducted a welfare check on 35-year-old Darrin John Tiessen. The officer found Tiessen unresponsive in a single-occupancy cell. The Sheriff’s Office says,…

Every Homeland Security officer in Minneapolis is now being issued a body-worn camera, Noem says

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, center, speaks during a press conference Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Minneapolis. WASHINGTON (AP) — Every officer on the ground, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, will be immediately issued body-worn cameras, Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday. Noem made the announcement on the social media platform X. She said the body-worn camera program is being expanded…

Man leads Minnesota State Patrol on high speed chase, thought he was running from ICE

Brandon Choo Atam DULUTH, Minn. — A Washington, D.C.-area man is accused of leading law enforcement on a 100+ mile per hour chase in Northern Minnesota.  He claimed he did it because he believed a Minnesota State Patrol trooper was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Charging documents say on January 31, 2026, at approximately 9:20 a.m. a Minnesota…

Church volunteer facing various charges for interactions with youth group member

Micah David Avery GRAND MARAIS, Minn. – A volunteer in the Youth Program at Grand Marais Free Church has been arrested and charged with various crimes. Micah Avery is charged with false imprisonment, engaging in electronic communication relating to sexual conduct with a child, and coercion. Charging documents say Avery befriended a member of the youth group. The youth group…

5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Courtesy: Associated Press Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, have been released following a judge’s order. They have returned to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro. The boy and his dad, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in…

St. Louis County officials give their side of the release of recent escapee

Michael Todd Hart DULUTH, Minn. – Sheriff Gordon Ramsay and County Attorney Kim Maki released a joint statement about the jail release of Michael Todd Hart. On January 21, Hart was released from the Itasca County Jail.  Hart was the subject of a large manhunt when he walked away from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center (NERCC) approximately four months prior….

One dead in Douglas County snowmobile crash

Gordon Snowmobile Crash Scene. Thursday Jan 29, 2026 GORDON, Wis. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says one person is dead following a single snowmobile crash in the Town Of Gordon. The crash was called into Douglas County 911 at 9:08pm on Thursday January 29, 2026. This victim is identified as Marvin Sloper, 68, of Centuria, WI. The initial reports are Sloper…

Itasca County Sheriff explains why prison escapee was released

Joe Dasovich GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – The Itasca County Sheriff Joe Dasovich has released a statement explaining the release of Michael Hart. On January 21, Hart was released from the Itasca County Jail.  Hart was the subject of a large manhunt when he walked away from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center (NERCC) approximately four months prior. The statement from Dasovich…

Justice Department releases 3 million pages from its Jeffrey Epstein files

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday released many more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than…

Superior Police Dept. releases videos of Dec. officer-involved shootout

SUPERIOR, Wis.– On December 7th, 2025, an officer-involved shooting took place on 37th Street, and Tower Avenue in Superior. “I want to begin by acknowledging the gravity of any officer involved shooting. These events are traumatic,” said Chief Paul Winterscheidt, of the Superior Police Department. Chief Winterscheidt said the city of Superior hasn’t seen an incident of this significance in…

Two federal agents involved in shooting of Alex Pretti have been on administrative leave since Saturday, DHS says

(AP) – The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that two federal agents involved in Pretti’s shooting have been on leave since Saturday. A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. The announcement came as Trump seemed…

Propane truck bursts into flames after crash in Burnett County; Roads closed

BURNETT COUNTY, Wis. – The Burnett County Sheriff’s Office says a propane truck caught fire following a crash with a pickup truck. It happened on State Road 70 and County Road H in Dewey Township on January 28, 2026 around 1pm. That is about 28-miles Southeast of Hayward. The road is closed.  For safety reasons the area will remain closed until…

Owner of Lutsen Lodge suing insurance company for non-payment

DULUTH, Minn – North Shore Resort Company, the company that owns Lutsen Lodge, is suing Owners Insurance Company for not paying insurance claims from the fire that destroyed the historic resort. Lutsen Lodge Fire The suit, filed in federal court on January 23, 2026 says, “Plaintiff timely made a claim to Defendant for coverage under the Policy’s Building, Personal Property,…

Man sprays unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar and is tackled at Minneapolis town hall

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man wearing a black jacket was tackled to the ground after spraying an unknown substance on U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis on Tuesday.  Click here to watch the encounter. The audience cheered as he was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In video of…

Two federal officers fired shots during encounter that killed Alex Pretti

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two federal officers fired shots during an encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday. A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in…

Walz and Frey both talk to President Trump today; Say positive conversations

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he spoke to President Donald Trump about the immigration crackdown in his city and some federal officers will begin leaving. A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. Frey…

Publishers Clearing House scams making rounds in Northern Minnesota

Publishers Clearing House Logo DULUTH, Minn. –  The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says there have been numerous reports of scammers calling people claiming they had won a Publishers Clearing House prize. The calls have been made within the past week. Scammers are claiming the person won a cash sum and often a brand-new vehicle.  The caller then requests that they…

Case dismissed for man arrested in Virginia ICE operation

Jose Espinoza-Espinoza DULUTH, Minn. – The criminal case against Jose Espinoza-Espinoza, accusing him of “assaulting, resisting, or impeding a Federal Officer,” has been dismissed. Espinoza-Espinoza was arrested on January 16, 2026, by federal agents near the Cazadores Mexican restaurant in Virginia. Agents said Espinoza-Espinoza was in a car they suspected was “transporting illegal aliens”. On the morning of January 26,…

Congressman Stauber calls on Gov. Walz, Minnesota elected leaders to ‘seek cooperation’

U.S. Representative Pete Stauber, a Republican representing Minnesota’s 8th congressional district, released a statement Sunday, one day after a second fatal shooting of a Minneapolis resident by federal agents.  Stauber is calling on Gov. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey to “seek cooperation” and avoid interfering with “legitimate law enforcement operations.” Below is Stauber’s full statement: “As a former law enforcement…

Sixty CEOs of Minneapolis-based companies call for ‘immediate deescalation of tensions’

Logos of Minneapolis-bases companies who signed letter The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce released a letter Sunday on behalf of more than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies after the second death of a Minneapolis resident involving federal agents. The full text of the letter: The business community in Minnesota prides itself in providing leadership and solving problems to ensure a strong…

Federal and state officials both claim moral high ground in immigration crackdown after shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In dueling news conferences, federal and state officials offered starkly different messages Sunday about the immigration crackdown that has swept across Minneapolis and surrounding cities, with both claiming the moral high ground after another shooting death by federal agents. Courtesy: Associated Press “Which side do you want to be on?” Gov. Tim Walz asked the public. “The…

Federal immigration enforcement focusing on Iron Range Mexican restaurant again

Cazadores Mexican Restaurant Logo VIRGINIA, Minn. –  Federal court records show Homeland Security were “conducting surveillance near the Cazadores Mexican restaurant” in Virginia. In October 2025, agents from Border Patrol and Enforcement Removal Operations raided El Charro Mexican Bar and Grill and La Tequila Taco Shop.  Both of those restaurants are in Hibbing. The new revelation comes from federal court…

The man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis was an ICU nurse, family says

Alex Jeffrey Pretti MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Family members say the man killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Saturday was an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital who cared deeply about people and was upset by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his city. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed getting in adventures with Joule, his…

READ IT: Gov. Walz statement following Border Patrol killing Minnesota man

Gov. Tim Walz news conference following January 24, 2026 deadly shooting by federal officials ST. PAUL, Min – Governor Tim Walz today issued the following statement in response to a third shooting involving federal law enforcement agents in Minnesota. “The federal occupation of Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality…

Saturday developments in deadly fed shooting

A person holds a Minnesota state flag as federal immigration officers deploy tear gas Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP) – Federal officers shot and killed a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, according to a hospital record obtained by the Associated Press. Minneapolis Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said in a social media post that…

READ IT: Initial statement from the Department of Homeland Security following deadly shooting

Picture released from Department of Homeland Security follow January 26, 2026 deadly shooting Below is the initial statement from the Department of Homeland Security following a deadly shooting on January 24, 2026: At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US…

Man shot during Minneapolis immigration crackdown has died

Man shot by federal agents has died, say Minneapolis police chief (January 24, 2026) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Federal officers shot and killed a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, according to a hospital record obtained by the Associated Press. Minneapolis Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said in a social media post that he had been in contact with the…

Duluth man charged with 9 counts of ‘porch piracy’

Gerald August Mattson DULUTH, Min. –  A Duluth man has been charged with nine counts of felony mail theft. Duluth Police say Gerald August Mattson stole nine packages over the time span from December 31, 2025 to January 21, 2026. The packages were intended for various apartments in the Grandview Manor on East 2nd Street in Duluth.  That is where…

Former Olympic snowboarder on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ list, has been arrested

Ryan Wedding Most Wanted Poster WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Canada who was among the FBI’s top fugitives and faces charges related to multi-national drug trafficking and the killing of a federal witness, was arrested Friday, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Wedding, 44, is accused of running a drug trafficking operation, and officials…

Minnesota Attorney General warning of crowdfunding scams tied to ICE activity in Minnesota

Keith Ellison at news conference announcingMinnesota and Twin Citiesare suing Trump administration over widespread immigration operations ST. PAUL, Min. – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is warning people of crowdfunding scams purporting to help those impacted by immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota. The Attorney General’s Office is saying “bad actors” are taking advantage of people’s generosity.  The Attorney General’s Office…

BCA: Feds have not given them name of officer that shot man following chase

Law enforcement uses flash bang before entering home in search of suspect following ICE-involved shooting (January 14, 2026) ST. PAUL, Min. – Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) say federal authorities are not cooperating with their investigation into a January 14, 2026 shooting involving federal officers. Minneapolis Police Department asked the BCA to investigate.  In a…

Vice President Vance coming to Minnesota to meet with ICE agents

Vice President JD Vance (CNN) – Vice President JD Vance is planning to travel Minneapolis on Thursday where he will meet with ICE agents and give remarks defending their immigration operations, White House officials told CNN. Vance’s visit comes days after the Justice Department subpoenaed several high-profile Minnesota officials, including Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Attorney General…

Mexico sends 37 cartel members to US in latest offer to Trump administration

FILE – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks at the National Palace in Mexico City, Nov. 7, 2025. MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s security minister said Tuesday that it had sent another 37 members of Mexican drug cartels to the United States, as the Trump administration ratchets up pressure on governments to crack down on criminal networks it says are smuggling drugs across…

Update: Man found dead after fire in Gnesen Township

9:20 P.M. UPDATE: Investigators located the body of a 76-year-old Duluth man around 8 p.m. Monday after a pole building started on fire in Gnesen Township earlier in the day. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately release the identity of the man. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Minnesota State Fire Marshals Office, the…

Judge refuses to block new DHS policy limiting Congress members’ access to ICE facilities

Minnesota lawmakers Rep. Angie Craig and Rep. Ilhan Omar say they were denied access to Bishop Whipple Federal Building, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge refused Monday to temporarily block the Trump administration from enforcing a new policy requiring a week’s notice before members of Congress can visit immigration detention facilities. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in…

ICE says an immigrant picked-up in Minnesota sweep killed himself in detention facility

ERO El Paso Camp East Montana is inside Fort Bliss Texas EL PASO, Texas (AP) — An immigrant from Nicaragua was found dead at a Texas immigration detention facility last week, federal officials said. Victor Manuel Diaz appears to have killed himself Wednesday (January 14, 2026) at the sprawling tent complex at the U.S. Army’s Fort Bill base in El Paso, Immigration…

Sending soldiers to Minneapolis for immigration crackdown would be unconstitutional, mayor says

Courtesy: AP MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The mayor of Minneapolis said Sunday that sending active duty soldiers into Minnesota to help with an immigration crackdown is a ridiculous and unconstitutional idea as he urged protesters to remain peaceful so the president won’t see a need to send in the U.S. military. Daily protests have been ongoing throughout January since the Department…

DOJ vows to press charges after activists disrupt church where Minnesota ICE official is a pastor

Courtesy: Associated Press (file)   MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice said Sunday it is investigating a group of protesters in Minnesota who disrupted services at a church where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently serves as a pastor. A livestreamed video posted on the Facebook page of Black Lives Matter Minnesota, one of…

Suspected drunken driver slams into home in Carlton County

Suspected drunk driver crashes into Mahtowa Township home (2/17/2026) MAHTOWA TOWNSHIP, Minn. – A suspected drunken driver slammed into a home in Carlton County over the weekend. The call for help came in around 8:30 p.m. Saturday on County Road 61 in Mahtowa Township. The Carlton County Sheriff’s Office said the driver is a 19-year-old man from the Carlton area…

Teen stabbed by man in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police are investigating a stabbing of a juvenile male. The stabbing happened around 6 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of n. 9th Avenue East. When police arrived, they found an “active fight,” according to a news release Sunday. Shortly after, police say they found a “juvenile male with possible stab wounds.” The juvenile was transported…

Justice Department investigating whether Minnesota’s Walz and Frey impeded immigration enforcement

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in St. Paul, denounces President Donald Trump for calling Minnesota’s Somali community “garbage” and dismissing the state as a “hellhole.” WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is investigating whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have impeded federal immigration enforcement through public statements…

Police: Man who robbed Security Jewelers wanted to see most expensive watches

Jaquay Mckay Hassell DULUTH, Min. – Duluth Police say on January 13, 2026 Jaquay Mckay Hassell, 24, robbed Security Jewelers. Charging documents say just before 10am Hassell walked into Security Jewelers on Superior Street in Duluth. A clerk said Hassell asked to use the restroom.  When he left the restroom, he asked to see the most expensive watches. Hassell then…