Apple River stabbing incident

I checked out the murder suspect’s facebook page… he seems interesting… couple french fries short of a happy meal

He fled, never reached out to law enforcement and they had to track him down. He also ditched the knife.

They don’t hand out first degree murder charges if they don’t think they can get a conviction. Says a lot.

Many opinions few facts. It seems time and again, social media picks sides and is ultimately proven wrong. Let’s wait for the facts to be sorted.

His past history/encounters with LE is publicly available. Seems to clearly be mental illness. Stabbing one person in self defense is one thing, 5 people? What I find odd is his ability to hold a high paying job.

biggill wrote:

He fled, never reached out to law enforcement and they had to track him down. He also ditched the knife.

They don’t hand out first degree murder charges if they don’t think they can get a conviction. Says a lot.

I didn’t read anything about him fleeing the scene. He simply left at normal pace and continued down the river with his family. He also did not resist arrest when authorities found him. To me that says perhaps he thinks nothing serious happened or he thought he wasn’t guilty of anything serious. If he knew he had fatally stabbed someone, my guess is that he wouldn’t have been so easy to find or willing to be arrested.

ganderpike wrote:

His past history/encounters with LE is publicly available. Seems to clearly be mental illness. Stabbing one person in self defense is one thing, 5 people? What I find odd is his ability to hold a high paying job.

Alot of the real Brite ones are very odd

We used to go to the Apple River in my younger years. There was plenty of nudity, drinking, and the occasional fight then too.

The difference the last time I went (and won’t ever be back), was the amount of garbage and the general attitude of people floating. It wasn’t people there to have a happy drunk time, but rather groups either looking to become unconscious or harass others. We even got to see some cocaine use as well scooting by a couple groups. There were very few females as it’s clear many groups were just looking for some to harass. It has become the “sh***y college bar vibe that girls didn’t go to for fear of being drugged” type of place.

The WI river and Namakagean (forgive my spelling) have plenty of opportunities that are cleaner.

gimruis wrote:

I didn’t read anything about him fleeing the scene. He simply left at normal pace and continued down the river with his family. He also did not resist arrest when authorities found him. To me that says perhaps he thinks nothing serious happened or he thought he wasn’t guilty of anything serious. If he knew he had fatally stabbed someone, my guess is that he wouldn’t have been so easy to find or willing to be arrested.

He stabbed 5 people (one fatally), ditched the knife, left and never called police. If it was self defense like he claims, he would have called police.

Possibly all caught on camera, charged with first degree intentional homicide and 4 more counts of attempted first degree homicide. The police obviously have a strong enough case based on video evidence to pursue the highest possible charges.

This early on, it reminds me of another incident a few years ago around Hudson I believe, 1 guy on each side of the river getting into an argument, 1 drove around to the other side and started a fight and ended up dying, but it turned out to be self-defense for the person he drove around to fight with. Lots of unknowns with this one at this point. Let the investigation mature before anyone gets judged

Another incident with no winners on either side…sad to see

It wasn’t all that long ago when things escalated to a stabbing death a little north of there at Interstate Park.

The Apple River in Somerset has always had the party vibe. I remember beers getting launched 50 yards like footballs between groups 30 years ago…with lots of hooting and hollering.

In more recent years, there are “watch towers” with police officers in them to help keep the crowds a little more under control.

They love handing out littering and underage tickets, as they should, but are also there to deal with the drunk tough guy egos.

I’ve gotten to the point in life that the more people I meet the more I like my dog.

At the very moment the stabbings occurred, Hank, Ben and I were on a remote stretch of the St. Croix River. We saw one other canoe in a 30 hour period.

It was tranquil, peaceful and quiet. It was sickening to hear of the incident that happened just 40 or so miles away.

As for the “why the knife” questions, I’m also one of the guys that ALWAYS carries one. The only time I don’t have my Leatherman on me is in an airplane. It’s in my pocket at work, at play, at a funeral, a wedding, a concert, even at the elementary school when picking up my kids. It’s gotten me or a another person out a of jam a million times. I hope I never have to use it for personal protection, but if I ever need to it’s there.

Sorry if redundant (lots to read above) but my kids know our family rule around water: if you are in it or on it you WILL have a knife in your POCKET. If skinny dippin, it’s between your teeth. Too many idiots tossing fishing line into rivers and lakes. (Let alone broken off snagged line). Good luck “breaking” the 20lb wrapped around your ankle when you need to do it to save your life.

Wasn’t it a Washington county sheriff deputy who drowned a few years back WHILE TUBING!!? (Cooler rope wrapped his ankle. The cooler flipped, filled with water and took him down with it.)

Knife? Yes please!!

He’s actually claiming he never had a knife while on the river and that he took it from one of the kids to defend himself. Supposedly the video shows that he pulled a knife out of his cargo pocket.

The last story I heard was he was using the snorkel to look for a cell phone. The next group came down the river and were calling him a pedophile and pushing him into the water and he snapped. Sounds like he could have walked away but chose to confront the harassing group….more will come out as they interview and investigate….bad deal for all on a day when everyone was trying to have fun.

Turns out the guy that died worked at the State Fair at Shang Hai Henri’s the last 2 years with my bro-inlaw and both of my daughters. Just a very sad deal.

WishIwasWiser wrote:

Wasn’t it a Washington county sheriff deputy who drowned a few years back WHILE TUBING!!? (Cooler rope wrapped his ankle. The cooler flipped, filled with water and took him down with it.)

Knife? Yes please!!

Believe it was a Chisago County deputy.

Bad, sad situation for sure.

The First degree and Intentional Murder charges seem unrealistic unless the video footage shows he was the unprovoked aggressor. I doubt he went to the Apple River that day saying someone is going to die today.

Maybe the goal is an eventual plea to manslaughter … but again until the video clearly shows the event unfolding … one can only guess what the prosecution has …

Remember this one …

`A Wisconsin man was stabbed to death after he and his fishing buddy got into an argument with another group.

The Polk County Sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help in finding the killer. The victim is 34-year-old Peter Kelly of St. Croix Falls, Wis. He was a well-known youth wrestling coach in the community and the father of five young children.

Deputies say Kelly and a friend were fishing on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River last night when they got into a verbal fight with three men on the Wisconsin side.

The Polk County Sheriff’s office said this was a situation that went on for about three hours.

It started around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, when Kelly and his friend observed a group of young men fishing across the river being loud and rude.

By 9:45 p.m., their efforts to get them to quiet down had turned into a face-to-face confrontation at Interstate Park in St. Croix Falls. That’s where the fatal stabbing took place. The St. Croix River is known for being a great place to fish… when it’s quiet.

and the trial results …

The 12-member jury of seven women and five men had spent the past 19 hours of deliberation deciding that defendant Levi Acre-Kendall had acted in self-defense when he fatally stabbed Peter Kelly, a St. Croix Falls father of five.

Polk County Attorney Dan Steffen expressed sadness for Kelly’s family after the verdicts were read, saying, “The person who is responsible for the death of their loved one is not going to be convicted of anything. At this point, it is obviously extremely difficult.”

The jury was deadlocked 11-1 for acquittal during much of the weekend deliberation. Acre-Kendall’s lawyers say the pivotal moment came Friday when the 20-year-old defendant took the witness stand in his own defense.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson said his client appeared to jurors as honest, sincere and heartfelt.

“I think that when the jury was instructed in the law and attempting to put themselves in his place at that moment, that that was a turning point,” Nelson said.

What is it about Minnesota people going to Wisconsin and thinking it’s Vegas or the wild west?

blackbay wrote:

What is it about Minnesota people going to Wisconsin and thinking it’s Vegas or the wild west?

Probably trying to blend in with the locals

Bearcat89 wrote:

Probably trying to blend in with the locals

hahahah

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Blackbay wrote:</div>
What is it about Minnesota people going to Wisconsin and thinking it’s Vegas or the wild west?

Probably trying to blend in with the locals

these small towns don’t have the nightly shootings like the twin cities do. and for many that come over to get “get away from it” have a sense of arrogance with the locals due to the wad of cash in their pockets compared to what the locals have.

these small towns don’t have the nightly shootings like the twin cities do. and for many that come over to get “get away from it” have a sense of arrogance with the locals due to the wad of cash in their pockets compared to what the locals have.
[/quote]

It was only a joke. No small town has the nightly shootings like neither Minnesotas or Wisconsins big cities. That’s pretty much common sense. The sense of arrogance isn’t a mn thing or wi thing. It’s the person them selves. I see many wi guys arrogance as I do mn. I’m 10 minutes from the border and spend a equal amount of time in both states

Bearcat89 wrote:

these small towns don’t have the nightly shootings like the twin cities do. and for many that come over to get “get away from it” have a sense of arrogance with the locals due to the wad of cash in their pockets compared to what the locals have.

It was only a joke. No small town has the nightly shootings like neither Minnesotas or Wisconsins big cities. That’s pretty much common sense. The sense of arrogance isn’t a mn thing or wi thing. It’s the person them selves. I see many wi guys arrogance as I do mn. I’m 10 minutes from the border and spend a equal amount of time in both states
[/quote]
I agree, I’m about 15 min from the border here in Wis.I can’t believe the stupid stuff that comes out of people’s mouth, I’m more critical of MN “cabin people” from past encounters with them here on my property and local area.

Beast wrote:

I’m more critical of MN “cabin people” from past encounters with them here on my property and local area.

Suzuki, I think he’s talking about you.

deertracker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>WishIwasWiser wrote:</div>
Wasn’t it a Washington county sheriff deputy who drowned a few years back WHILE TUBING!!? (Cooler rope wrapped his ankle. The cooler flipped, filled with water and took him down with it.)

Knife? Yes please!!

Several years ago I had one of the ropes wrap my neck on the Canon river. Nobody could hear me holler and luckily I was able to muscle it off. A scary few seconds that felt like forever though. That one reminded me to always always always have a cutting tool on me.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Beast wrote:</div>
I’m more critical of MN “cabin people” from past encounters with them here on my property and local area.

Suzuki, I think he’s talking about you.

Not possible. Im already 3/4 cheese head even though I still live in the land of mud ducks. For now…

The defendant charged with intentional murder has hired the same lawyer that Kyle Rittenhouse had.

gimruis wrote:

The defendant charged with intentional murder has hired the same lawyer that Kyle Rittenhouse had.

I doubt that will have much bearing on his case.

We also have to realize that we are only seeing facts from one side presented, the prosecution. They have no reason to present any facts that might show self defense or the defendants side. Those facts will come up during the trial.

suzuki wrote:

Who doesn’t bring a knife with them everywhere? Apparently some of you.
Big deal. He had a knife. Its his actions that are the problem.
People snap. That’s why you should be prepared to defend yourself always.

What kind of knife? Swiss Army knife or a Crocodile Dundee knife?