Police investigate shooting incident

The Cloquet Police Department is still seeking information regarding alleged shots fired from one vehicle at another last Thursday night.

According to a press release, around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30, officers responded to the Fond du Lac Gas & Grocery Store for a report of a person who had been shot inside an SUV.

When they arrived, officers learned the juvenile victim was a passenger in the vehicle traveling south on Brevator Road when another car approached and fired something at them, causing two windows to shatter.

Police commander and acting police chief Carey Ferrell said Tuesday the juvenile suffered superficial injuries to the face from what appears to be from glass breakage rather than a gunshot wound.

Investigators believe the damage was caused by a BB or pellet gun but are continuing to locate and determine what specifically caused the injury.

“We are still looking to ID the car and suspects,” Ferrell said. Police have had a few leads that they tracked down, but it’s still an active investigation.

The suspect car, described as a red or maroon Chevrolet, possibly an Impala, and its occupants fled the scene and have not been located. The car was last seen headed south on Brevator Road from Big Lake Road.

It is believed both the vehicles and occupants were leaving a funeral/wake service at the Brookston Community Center for Ausineese Aubin Dufault, a teenager who died Monday, May 27, in Duluth. Ferrell confirmed that there was “some type of altercation” at the community center.

“Do we believe it was related? We believe so,” Ferrell said. “That’s where both cars came from.”

He said the police department does not believe this is a random act and does not consider the public is at risk.

Officers from multiple agencies responded to the area and determined the incident occurred near the Cloquet-St. Louis County line of Brevator Road on the Fond du Lac Reservation. FDL PD and the Minnesota DNR’s K-9s were used to aid in finding any evidence near the scene. Nothing more was found.

The investigation continues and no motive has been established.

Anyone with information is asked to call Commander Derek Randall at 218-879-1247 or the Police Department’s tip line by texting the words TIP CLOQUETPD followed by your tip to 888777. Anonymous messages may be left.