CLOQUET, MN – The names of the gunman and victims killed at a Super 8 motel on Monday night were released by the police on Wednesday. The shooter was identified as Nicholas Elliot Lenius, 32, of Ramsey, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The victim found shot dead inside a vehicle in the motel parking lot was identified as Patrick Jeffrey Roers of Deer River. The hotel clerk, Shellby Marie Trettel, 22, of Cloquet, died of her injuries at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth the night of the shooting.
The agency expressed its sympathies to the families and friends affected by the tragic incident, stating, “We share in the community’s sorrow and offer our support to all those affected by this profound loss. Our department and law enforcement partners are dedicated to working diligently in investigating this incident, aiming to bring clarity and understanding to the circumstances surrounding it as quickly as possible.”
According to police, on Monday at about 6:30 p.m., an employee of the Super 8 hotel in Cloquet called 911 to report that Trettel was attacked. Police at the scene found Roers dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a car in the hotel parking lot with a gun next to him. Police used surveillance video to determine that he was the gunman.
The tragic incident has deeply impacted the community, leaving many devastated by the loss of life. As the investigation continues, law enforcement remains focused on uncovering more details surrounding the circumstances of the shooting.
In summary, Nicholas Elliot Lenius, 32, of Ramsey, was identified as the shooter who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while the victims were identified as Patrick Jeffrey Roers of Deer River and hotel clerk Shellby Marie Trettel, 22, of Cloquet. The incident has prompted an outpouring of grief and support from the community as authorities work diligently to unravel the events of that fateful night.