Recently in Local News Category

By Lauren Regnier

A 90-year-old woman was robbed and tied up in her own home Friday evening in St. Paul.

The woman called police around 6 p.m. from her home on the 1100 block of Van Buren to report an armed robbery, reported CBS Minnesota.

She told police that a man entered her house through an unlocked door and pointed a gun at her, demanding money, reported the Pioneer Press.

She said she was cooperative and gave the man a small amount of money before he tied her hands and feet and left the residence, reported CBS Minnesota.

Police said that she wriggled free have several minutes, reported the Pioneer Press. A relative showed up at her house shortly after.

The man wore a ski mask during the robbery and was described as about 5-foot-8 and "younger" looking, reported CBS Minnesota.

Lauren Regnier

An armed robbery suspect was shot and wounded by a police officer Monday afternoon in North Minneapolis after failing to put down his gun.

Around 4:45 p.m., police had the suspect under surveillance and pulled him over on the 3800 block of Thomas Avenue N. in a car in which he was a passenger, reported KARE 11 News.

The suspect ran from the vehicle, equipped with a shotgun, reported the Star Tribune.

Police chased the suspect into an alley and ordered him to put down the gun, but he failed to do, so police shot him, reported KARE 11 News.

The suspect was taken to the hospital with noncritical injuries, reported the Star Tribune.

The officer will be placed on a standard, three-day administrative leave, reported the Star Tribune.

The man is suspected in 12 recent robberies, in which he carried either a handgun or a sawed-off shotgun, reported the Star Tribune.

By Lauren Regnier

A man was found inside a burning vacant house in North Minneapolis early Wednesday morning.

According to the Minneapolis Police Department, at about 12:30 a.m. the home of 1426 Barnes Place was reported on fire, reported the Star Tribune.

When firefighters found the unidentified man inside the house lying unconscious on the floor, they performed CPR on him, but he later died in Hennepin County Medical Center, reported KSTP.

Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries when they fell from a hole in the first-floor to the basement, reported the Star Tribune.

The fire was put to rest at about 1:30 a.m., reported the Star Tribune.

Authorities are not sure yet how the fire started.

By Lauren Regnier

A St. Paul taxi driver reportedly hit two children Monday afternoon, and drove away.

According to police, the incident happened near Dale Street and Marshall Avenue in St. Paul, reported KARE 11.

A 14-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy were crossing the street when they were struck by a Green & White taxi, reported the Pioneer Press.

According to police, the driver stopped to check on the kids and gave them his contact information before driving away, reported KARE 11.

The children sustained minor injuries.

Police are still investigating the incident.

By Lauren Regnier

An 11-year-old Minnesota boy who was sick of his parents' marijuana smoke in his house, took photos of the drug and sent them to police.

Drug agents served a search warrant on the home near Hastings last month, reported the Pioneer Press. Heidi Siebenaler, a Dakota County probation supervisor, and her husband, Mark Siebenaler were arrested and faced charges.

Eight pounds of marijuana were found in the house, reported MSNBC.

"It's disappointing when someone in law enforcement gets caught breaking the law," said Washington County Attorney Pete Orput, according to the Star Tribune. "In this case it is particularly disappointing," reported MSNBC.

In a criminal complaint the boy told investigators that he had complained to his mother several times about the smell, reported the Pioneer Press.

According to MSNBC, Mark Siebenaler said he smokes marijuana for medical purposes, but police suggest that the amount found was more typical of those intending to sell the drug.

By Lauren Regnier

A bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run Saturday morning in Minneapolis.

Thomas Malloy, 61, was on his way to a religious service when he was hit around 11 a.m., reported FOX 9 News. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene.

Malloy was pronounced dead at HCMC at 2:25 p.m. from multiple blunt force injuries, reported FOX 9 News.

The 27-year-old suspect, Wesley Gubbin, turned himself in about nine hours after the incident, reported the Bemidji Pioneer.

He will likely be charged with Criminal Vehicular Operation, reported FOX 9 News.

Witnesses said Gubbin didn't slow down after hitting Malloy, he took off at high speeds, reported FOX 9 News.

Malloy's brother, James, told WCCO-TV that Thomas rode his bike often and took advantage of the weather Saturday to ride, reported the Bemidji Pioneer.

By Lauren Regnier

An Eden Prairie woman was charged with murder after allegedly injecting heroine into her husband in July.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office charged Melanie Razo, 29, with third-degree murder Tuesday, reported the Pioneer Press. However, her charges were not made public until Wednesday night when she was arrested on a warrant.

On July 6, police were called to Razo's home where they found her husband unconscious in the basement, reported the Pioneer Press.

According to the criminal complaint, Razo "indicated she talked the victim into taking some heroin" and then injected some into her husband, reported Kare 11.

Razo and her husband have a baby girl and were renting out the basement of her mother's house, reported Kare 11.

An autopsy determined that the cause of death was a mixture of drug toxicity of heroin and a blood alcohol concentration of .10 percent, reported the Pioneer Press.

By Lauren Regnier

A man's body was found Tuesday in Rice Lake in Lino Lakes after being reported missing last week.

The man has not yet been identified. Anoka County police said he was reported missing Friday, reported the Pioneer Press.

Accounting to the Anoka County's Sheriff's Office, no foul play was suspected and they are not pursuing any suspects, reported the Star Tribune.

His vehicle was discovered at Trapper's Bar and Grille located on the shore of Rice Lake Monday afternoon, reported the Pioneer Press.

According to the Star Tribune, the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office is investigating the death.

By Lauren Regnier

CIty officials toured the future 7-acre dog park Tuesday under St. Paul's High Bridge.

The park is expected to open on Memorial Day 2012, according to Mike Hahm, the city's park and recreation director, in a report by the Star Tribune.

The park will be located near the Mississippi between the Upper Landing housing development and Xcel's natural gas-fired power plant, reported the Pioneer Press.

Excel will continue to own the 7-acres, but the park will be maintained by the city, reported the Pioneer Press.

The park will have a gat and parking just below the bridge that connects Irvine Park to the West Side Bluffs, but won't be lighted for now, reported the Start Tribune.

The city estimates the cost of a fence and double-gated entry to be a few thousand dollars right now, reported the Star Tribune.

Nearly one-third of St. Paul residents own dogs, but there is only one off-leash park in the area, which is located in Arlington/Arkwright on the East Side, reported the Star Tribune.

By Lauren Regnier

A two-year-old fell six stories from an apartment building Sunday in St. Paul while playing on a couch near a window.

She fell at about 5:30 p.m.from one of the Lewis Park Apartments in the 100 block of Wayzata Street, reported the Star Tribune. She was in serious condition at the Gillette Children's Hospital Monday.

According to investigators Patia Lamaya Amiella Cotton was playing with another child when she accidentally fell out of an open window, reported KSTP. She was dancing on a couch directly below a window when she lost balance and fell.

Patia's mother, Nakita Patton, and another adult were also present at the time, reported the Star Tribune.

Susan Michaletz, president of Tapestry Management LLC that owns and operates the apartments, said she doesn't know of any complaints about the unit's windows, reported the Star Tribune.

"We're looking into what happened, and we're waiting for a police report," Michaletz said in a report by the Star Tribune. "As far as I know, it's simply an accident."