CLOQUET, MINN. – A tragedy unfolded on Monday evening at a Super 8 hotel in Cloquet when an employee discovered a colleague who had been attacked. The police arrived to find a 22-year-old woman with a fatal gunshot wound, as well as a 35-year-old man dead from a gunshot wound in a car in the hotel parking lot. Additionally, a 32-year-old man was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the hotel property, with a firearm located next to him. The suspect was confirmed to be the man found deceased by reviewing surveillance video from the hotel. The identities of the victims have not been released at this time, and the motive for the shootings is still unknown.
The Cloquet Police Department, along with other local and state authorities, are extending their sympathies to the families of the victims as they continue to investigate this tragic case. Assistance in the case has been provided by the Cloquet Area Fire District, Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, Fond Du Lac Police, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Homeland Security Emergency Management, and Mayo Ambulance.
The shooter’s actions have left the community and law enforcement in shock, with Governor Tim Walz expressing his condolences and offering support to the local authorities. The incident took place in a small-town setting about 20 miles west of Duluth, partly located within the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation. As the investigation unfolds, officials are working to piece together the events leading to the tragic outcome.
The situation at the Super 8 motel in Cloquet has rattled the community and left many questions unanswered as the authorities work to provide closure to the families of the victims. More developments are expected to unfold in the coming days as the investigation progresses. Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward and assist in bringing clarity to the situation.