Overview:
Plus: State Patrol plane makes hard landing; Highway 280 closures begin; cyberattack cancels school in Spring Lake Park district; and more.
Ramsey County is investigating federal immigration officers for possible kidnapping, burglary and false imprisonment over the arrest of an American citizen who was detained and led outside wearing only a blanket and underwear in freezing temperatures, reports The Associated Press.
During a Monday press conference, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher said ICE officers used a battering ram to forcibly enter the home of ChongLy “Scott” Thao, 56, in January with guns drawn and, based on the information available to them, without a warrant. Choi and Fletcher said they are actively seeking more information from the Department of Homeland Security, the AP reports.
Thao was driven around and questioned for about an hour before agents realized he was the “wrong man” and returned him to his home, Reuters reports.
Sheriff Fletcher questioned the agents asking, “Is that good law enforcement, to take an American citizen out of their home and drive them around aimlessly, trying to determine what they can tell them?” the AP reports.
In other news…
First responders were sent to St. Paul’s downtown airport early Monday morning when a Minnesota State Patrol plane “experienced a hard landing” and crashed, Bring Me The News reports. Two state patrol crew members were onboard during the incident. No injuries were reported. According to the State Patrol, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified.
Northbound Highway 280 between Interstate 94 and Highway 36 and westbound Broadway Street between Highway 280 and Industrial Boulevard closed Monday, WCCO reports. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says significant improvements are coming, including resurfacing and repairs to bridges and drainage systems. The highway, whose southbound lanes will close later this month, is expected to reopen prior to the start of the Minnesota State Fair in August.
School was cancelled for about 6,000 students in the Spring Lake Park district after a cyberattack on Monday, MPR News reports. On Sunday, Spring Lake Park district IT staff said they noticed an “outside actor” had gained access to internal systems and promptly shut them down to prevent further damage. This incident comes after the April 7 Winona County cyberattack where services including the county’s DMV remain offline, KARE 11 reports.
And ICYMI from MinnPost…
