Suspect arrested in assault of Lakeside man, 78
Jun. 18—A 28-year-old suspect has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a 78-year-old man Wednesday at the man's home in Duluth's Lakeside neighborhood.
The victim was transported to a local hospital with injuries that included stab wounds, broken bones and facial injuries, according to a news release from the Duluth Police Department.
Prior to the alleged assault, the Lakeside resident saw a man looking at his truck on the 6100 block of East Superior Street. The victim told police the suspect complimented the truck and asked about it. The suspect then left and shortly after returned to the Lakeside resident's home and assaulted the man in his garage around 2 p.m.
The suspect then took the truck keys and left. A neighbor discovered the victim and called 911.
The Duluth police-issued regional alert was issued to locate the suspect and vehicle, the release said. Shortly after, law enforcement in Carlton County located the vehicle near Interstate 35 and the Scanlon exit and arrested the suspect.
He was booked on preliminary charges of first-degree aggravated robbery, first- and second-degree assault as well as motor vehicle theft. The News Tribune typically doesn't name suspects until they have been formally charged. The victim and suspect are not known to each other.
"These types of robberies and assaults do not happen very often in Duluth," Deputy Chief Steve Stracek said in the release. "When they do, we understand that they are traumatic to not only the victim and their family, but to their neighbors, and collectively to the community. The Duluth Police Department is committed to fully investigating these incidents and dedicated to reducing these types of crimes."
The Duluth Police Department is requesting that anyone with additional information about the assault call the violent crimes unit at 218-730-5050.
