Bemidji Police ID 16-year-old as suspect in shooting that injured 3 adults

BEMIDJI — A 16-year-old boy is in custody after allegedly shooting three adult family members Thursday, May 7, in Bemidji.

The Bemidji Police Department responded to a home in the Itasca Loop neighborhood around 4:40 p.m. and found three adults with gunshot wounds. All three were transported to the Sanford Health-Bemidji Medical Center with critical injuries.

Bemidji Youth Baseball canceled all practices and games Thursday while the “active situation” was ongoing near the ball fields. Police also locked down the hospital as a precaution as they searched for the suspect.

Police learned the identity of the 16-year-old, who turned himself in about two hours later without incident.

Carl White is an uncle of the teenager accused in the shooting. White said in a Friday phone interview that the injured family members were all in stable condition.

White said the family did not know a gun was in their home, and they don't know how the boy acquired it. White said his nephew is facing multiple felony assault and weapons charges after a Friday juvenile court hearing.

An initial Bemidji Police Department news release incorrectly stated that a child was among those injured in the shooting. The original news release also named the juvenile suspect, with an updated release requesting media outlets not to name the minor. Although the name was removed from the social media post, it remained visible in the previous edits through Friday morning, when it was deleted and reposted.

“He's a juvenile who's 16 years old and his name was named on the Bemidji Police Department's social media page,” White said. “Even if he was to be tried as an adult, that doesn't mean that he's being tried as an adult yet.”

A request for comment from Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin was not returned as of Friday afternoon.

White works for Red Lake Nation’s chemical health department to address substance use disorder and said the teen’s mother also does peer recovery work. He said his nephew has been struggling with mental health challenges, and the shooting followed a heated argument between the boy and his parents.

“No matter what's going on with our family, we're still in support of him and we still love him, ... the whole family," White said. " ... Everybody still supports him and loves him.”

Bemidji Police encouraged anyone with information on the incident to contact the department at 218-333-9111, or by submitting an anonymous tip through CrimeStoppers of Minnesota.