Police search for man who broke in home, assaulted resident

Police are searching for a man who entered an occupied home on Boulder Drive in Cloquet just after 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Residents awoke to an intruder in their Sunnyside neighborhood home, and that person physically assaulted one of them, according to a press release from the Cloquet Police Department. After another person inside the home intervened, the assailant fled the area on foot.

With the assistance of neighboring law enforcement agencies, officers extensively searched the surrounding area but were unsuccessful in locating the suspect.

The person was described as a white male, approximately 6 feet, 2 inches tall, with a slender build, and wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and black pants. The individual appeared unkempt and dirty, the police report said. Commander Dave O’Connor added the suspect was also described as being in his early to mid-20s, with a shorter beard and dark hair. The suspect was not known to the victims. The police press release said they do not know if this was a targeted or random incident.

Police officers continue to conduct extra patrols in neighborhoods during discretionary time. Community members are advised to keep home and vehicles secured and call 911 if they see anyone or anything suspicious in neighborhoods.

This incident is an open and active investigation and there were no updates by Wednesday evening, when the Pine Knot News went to press.

Cloquet officers were assisted on the scene by the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, Fond du Lac police, Minnesota State Patrol officers and the Carlton County drone team.

Anyone with information related to the event is encouraged to contact the Cloquet Police Department by calling 911, emailing [email protected], or sending a private message to the department’s Facebook or Twitter page. People can also text TIP CLOQUETPD followed by a message to 888777.