GRAND RAPIDS, Minnesota -- The Itasca County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an incident in which a firearm was used to fire shots at a Grand Rapids Police squad car and the exterior of the officer’s home in Grand Rapids on Sunday night, Sept. 10.
According to Grand Rapids Assistant Police Chief Steve Schaar, At 9:51 p.m., off-duty Grand Rapids Police Officer Matt O’Rourke was at home with his family in a residential area of Grand Rapids when he heard multiple projectiles striking his marked police squad car parked in his driveway. Projectiles were also striking the family’s house. A vehicle was seen speeding away on the street in front of the house.
Officer O’Rourke gave chase, radioing on-duty Grand Rapids Police Officers. The suspect vehicle was found abandoned shortly thereafter, near Murphy Elementary school in Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids Police K-9 Officer Gary O’Brien, with the assistance of his police dog Radar, located the two occupants of the vehicle a short distance away and took them into custody.
The two men are currently being held in the Itasca County Jail awaiting charges by Itasca County Attorney Jack Muhar. These men are identified as Timothy Hilgedick, 20, of Grand Rapids, and Dominic Johnson Carlson, 18, Bemidji.
“We are grateful that nobody was hurt,” said Schaar. “The vehicle was impounded by the police and since a Grand Rapids Police Officer and his family were the intended victims, this case was turned over to the Itasca County Sheriff’s Department for investigation. At this time, we do not have a motive for the shooting nor does the police department know the type of firearm that was used. That will be determined by the Itasca County Sheriff’s Investigator.”
Assisting in this incident were the Minnesota State Patrol, Itasca County Sheriff’s Department, Bovey Police, Coleraine Police and Minnesota DNR Conservation Officers.
Information provided by the Grand Rapids Police Department
