Juvenile confesses to Pinehurst shooting

A 16-year-old Superior boy pleaded guilty Tuesday, Oct. 25, to second-degree felony assault, after firing shots at a carful of people during a July incident in Pinehurst Park in Cloquet.

Appearing before Judge Amy Lukasavitz in District Court in Carlton, the boy admitted to firing a 9-millimeter handgun 12 times at the car. The incident was preceded by an argument and foot chase involving two other juvenile males in the park late in the evening July 2. The males fled after the assailant brandished the gun.

Two women driving by picked up the fleeing males. The assailant stated in court Tuesday he was intending to “pop the tires” while shooting at the vehicle. The car was struck with bullets, but nobody in the car was injured.

The two women flagged down Cloquet police in the aftermath of the incident. The boy was taken into custody the next day after police found his cellphone in the park and traced him to the father’s home in Cloquet.

During the hearing, the boy avoided being certified to adult court for criminal prosecution. Instead, his attorney, Duluth’s Kevin Cornwell, and assistant Carlton County attorney Michael Boese announced a guilty plea arrangement which figures to put the boy on probation until his 21st birthday.

Sentencing will take place Nov. 8.

A psychological evaluation recommended prosecuting the Superior teen as a juvenile.

“Based on that, parties agreed this would proceed as an (extended juvenile justice) prosecution,” Boese told the court.

Underlying charges were dropped and included felonies for possession of the weapon, reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality, and intentional discharge of a firearm endangering safety.

The boy appeared in a virtual hearing with his mother and father also in attendance, along with the boy’s soon-to-be probation officer.

The boy faced up to 36 months in prison had he been prosecuted as an adult. He could still face that sentence if he breaks conditions of his probation at any time in the next several years.

According to the criminal complaint, the boy told Cloquet police he’d stolen the gun from a vehicle in Superior. During their investigation, Cloquet police learned the boy had a “pretty extensive criminal history,” including a charge of firearm possession last year.

The Pine Knot News had previously identified the boy, but given his continued status as a juvenile decided to refrain from naming him for this report.

The boy will remain in custody at the Arrowhead Juvenile Center in Duluth until sentencing.