Recently in Local News Category

Jogger sexually assaulted in Woodbury

by Bailey Haack

A woman jogging early Saturday was sexually assaulted as she ran through a Woodbury Park, authorities said.

The woman, 33, was on a shaded walking path on the northeast side of Markgrafs Lake around 5:30 a.m., according to the Star Tribune.

The attacker was alone, and the victim did not know him, police said. According the Pioneer Press, the woman suffered physical injuries and was evaluated at Woodwinds Hospital. She has since been released.

"Nothing like that has happened here," said Ed West, who walked around the lake with his family on Sunday according to the Star Tribune. "It's pretty upsetting to the community."

Police are still investigating the case, and asking the public for any help in identifying the suspect, said the Star Tribune. Sgt. Chris Murray advised residents of the area to be vigilant and not walk alone if possible.

by Bailey Haack

Minneapolis's Southern Theater issued an urgent plea for donations Thursday after finding out that it must raise $400,000 by April 30 or be shut down.

The theater had been operating on a budget deficit, and allocating fund meant for fellowship winners into meeting the theater's deficits, according to the Pioneer Press.

The McKnight Fellowship discovered that the money was being directed into general operating costs, instead of paying their winners, and pulled funding, said the Pioneer Press. The foundation also asked for over $300,000 back from the theater.

Through recent years, the theater has been hit hard by the economic downturn, according to Gary Peterson, executive director of the theater. He told the Star Tribune, "Nearly every show this season has come in under projections."

"A lot of people have had their beliefs and confidence in the theater shaken or destroyed," Peterson said to the Tribune. "All of us are very sorry about that."

The plea for donations was sent to artists and patrons, and posted on the theater's website, according to the Tribune. Peterson said that, though the goal seems steep, it is doable when broken into small parts.

by Bailey Haack

A northwest Minneapolis man was sentenced to five years in prison for a one-punch assault that ultimately led to the death of a former Afton resident.

Alexander Tuomisto, 24, admitted to punching Adam Baker, 32, in a fight outside a St. MIchael bar last May. According to the Pioneer Press, after Baker was punched, he fell and hit his head on the concrete.

Baker went into a coma, and died seven months later. Tuomisto said in trial Friday, "I am sure he was a wonderful person. I am a good person... I want a second chance. I don't want to go to prison," according to the Star Tribune.

Tuomisto's defense said he was defending himself. His blood alcohol at the hospital after the fight was 0.23, which is almost three times the legal limit to drive, according to the Pioneer Press.

District Judge Kathleen Mottl sentenced Tuomisto to five years in prison, which is the maximum sentence spelled out in the plea agreement. The Star Tribune said he will also have to pay up to $20,000 restitution to Baker's family.

by Bailey Haack

Three University of Minnesota students were injured when a driver drove up onto the sidewalk at 12th Avenue Southeast and Fifth Street Southeast around 2 a.m. on Friday.

The driver, who has not been found, was going the wrong way on Fifth Street Southeast when he struck the trio, according to the Pioneer Press.

Benjamin Van Handel, 23, is now in critical condition at Hennepin County Medical Center. The Star Tribune said he suffered severe brain injury and multiple broken bones.

Another victim, Sarah Bagley, 21, sustained a concussion and a chipped tooth, along with injuries to her knee and elbow, said the Star Tribune. She was in satisfactory condition.

Katelynn Hanson, 21, escaped the incident with a bump to the head and a sore leg.

The three were walking from a bar where they had been celebrating, along with Joe Bailin, another University student, who was not injured by the car.

Police are still investigating the incident, said the Pioneer Press, and believe the car was a white Toyota Camry or Solara built within the last ten years.

by Bailey Haack

Two men were stabbed during a fight at the Lake Street Midtown light rail station in south Minneapolis on Friday night.

Metro Transit said that police were called and arrived at the station around 10:30 p.m., according to the Star Tribune.

The fight started with an argument among a group of people on the upper level of the station. According to the Pioneer Press, the group then moved to the street level, where the stabbing occurred.

The two men, whose names were not released, were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, said the Star Tribune. They are in stable condition and are expected to recover fully.

Two suspects in the case were arrested and jailed on probable cause of assault, said the Pioneer Press. Their names have not been released, and the investigation continues.

by Bailey Haack

A shooting at a Festival Foods in Brooklyn Park left three dead Friday night.

The shooter entered the Festival Foods break room around 8:30 p.m. and shot two employees who were taking breaks at the time. According to the Star Tribune, the shooter then fled the scene.

Police from several areas tracked the shooter, who then shot himself near West River Parkway. The Star Tribune said his body was found under the Washington Avenue Bridge.

One of the victims was identified as Abigail Fedeli, 20, according to Northland's NewsCenter. She died at the scene. The identities of the other two dead have not yet been released.

All three were "long-term, current employees who were well-respected," said Tom Clasen, vice president of operations for Knowlan's Super Markets Inc., which operates Festival Foods, according to the Star Tribune.

The store is temporarily closed, and the incident remains under investigation. According to Northland's NewsCenter, there is no word yet on the motive for the shooting, but police said the suspect was a former acquaintance of Fedeli.

by Bailey Haack

The Jennie-O Turkey Store in Willmar recalled almost 55,000 pounds of raw, frozen turkey burgers feared to have been contaminated with Salmonella.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on Saturday, according to the Star Tribune. They said the USDA could expand the recall as investigations continue.

Jennie-O said the products were only sold at Sam's Club Stores, according to the Pioneer Press. Customers can return to the stores for a refund.

The recall includes 4-pound boxes of "All Natural Turkey Burgers with seasonings" that have a use-by date of Dec. 23, 2011, the Pioneer Press said.

A report from Sunday said that 12 people in have become sick in states Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin in the last four months, according to the Star Tribune.

by Bailey Haack

A Blaine man has been arrested in connection with a mass overdose of a synthetic drug that caused one teen's death early Thursday.

Timothy Richard Lamere, 21, is being held on suspicion of murder in the third degree, according to the Star Tribune. Police said he was the provider of the drug 2C-E that killed Trevor Robinson, 19, and sent 10 others to the hospital.

Robinson, also from Blaine, attended a house party where Lamere supplied the drugs. According to the Pioneer Press, Lamere offered what he said was 2C-I to anyone at the party, but the substance was later tested to be 2C-E.

Nikali Johnston, 16, told the Pioneer Press that he had seen plenty of people on drugs, and some at the party had taken 2C-E before, but "none of them had ever acted like that."

The drug is a synthetic substance that can be legally bought online. The Star Tribune reported that it is not known how much of the drug Robinson had taken.

Charges against Lamere are expected to be filed Monday in Anoka County, according to the Star Tribune.

by Bailey Haack

Due to a rise in the number of measles cases in the area, a panel of health experts and opinion leaders held a Somali community forum Saturday to convince skeptics that the measles vaccine is important and safe.

The Minnesota Department of Health has reported 11 cases of measles this year, and five of them were in the Somali community, according to a KSTP news report.

KSTP said many parents in the Somali community are wary of the vaccine because they're scared it could be connected to autism.

Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed told families at the panel that they are putting lives in danger if they don't vaccinate, according to the Star Tribune.

Mohamed said those parents who resist the vaccine are "unfortunately misinformed," and that it has been investigated and there is no connection between the vaccine and autism, said the Star Tribune.

The Somali community has seen growing rates of autism rates in the past several years, said the Star Tribune, and vaccine rates have dropped as a result.

by Bailey Haack

Two separate shootings within an hour in South Minneapolis left two men each with non-life threatening gunshot wounds to the leg.

The first incident happened around noon, Sgt. Bill Palmer of the Minneapolis Police told the Pioneer Press. A man was shot once in the leg and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.

He was not cooperative with the police, said the Pioneer Press, and the shooter has not been located.

The second incident was around 1 p.m. at 34th Avenue S. and E. 57th St. at the Crosstown Gas and Convenience store.

The shooter and the victim were both in the store arguing, said Cal Abdul, the store owner. The Star Tribune reported that they went outside before one man shot the other in the leg and then fled the scene on foot.

Abdul has owned the store for 18 years and hasn't had another shooting before. He told the Star Tribune that both men have been polite and nice to him before.