Second man faces charges after making threats against Brainerd schools
The Brainerd man told a witness that his friend went to jail for saying he was going to shoot up a school, so now I m going to follow through with it, court documents stated.
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The Crow Wing County Judicial Center is off Laurel Street in Brainerd.
A 37-year-old Brainerd man faces a felony criminal charge after allegedly making a threatening comment about Riverside Elementary School.
Joshua David Beber made his first appearance Friday morning, Feb. 12, in Crow Wing County District Court and was charged with making felony threats of violence.
Police and school officials do not believe there is any direct threat to students or staff. 5:56 pm, Feb. 11, 2021 ×
Riverside School sign from March 28, 2020. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
A 37-year-old man was arrested for felony terroristic threats Thursday, Feb. 11, in Brainerd after police received a report of an alleged threat mentioning Riverside Elementary School.
The alleged threat came Wednesday evening, Feb. 10, according to a news release from acting Brainerd Police Chief Mike Bestul. Police arrested the man at a residence in Brainerd for the threat, along with violation of conditions of release from a previous criminal charge. He was held in Crow Wing County Jail pending formal charges, according to the news release.
Assault suspect’s comments raise concerns about school violence
Posting on the Brainerd Dispatch Facebook page, Nicholas Reese Clements said he didn’t mean it, says he has mental health issues and was off his medications. 4:00 am, Feb. 11, 2021 ×
The Washington Educational Services Building. Brainerd Dispatch file photo
Some Brainerd area students didn’t go to school Wednesday, Feb. 10, after learning a Brainerd man allegedly stated he was going to “be the next school shooter” after he was arrested for assault.
Brainerd Public Schools Superintendent Laine Larson emailed a letter to parents before noon Wednesday stating the school is aware of an article published in the Brainerd Dispatch regarding the Brainerd man’s threat.
Bestul to remain as acting Brainerd police chief through 2021
After the top two candidates chosen to replace outgoing chief Corky McQuiston, the council agreed to have Deputy Chief Mike Bestul continue on as acting police chief through at least the end of the year. 8:42 pm, Jan. 19, 2021 ×
Brainerd Police Deputy Chief Mike Bestul talks to community members during a search for a missing man in Kiwanis Park in Brainerd in 2014. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Brainerd will not have a new police chief until next year.
Chief Deputy Mike Bestul who was appointed as acting chief Jan. 4 will remain in that post through at least the end of the year, the Brainerd City Council decided Monday, Jan. 19.
“Putting him on the same step as Corky (McQuiston) is just confusing, even though we may have done it with Corky,” Johnson said Jan. 4. “I would expect an employee coming on on the same step as a long-term employee to not make one mistake, to hit the ground running day one, no learning curve because you are worth exactly what the outgoing chief is worth.”
With that said, Johnson also said he would reluctantly support the motion to hire Baloun at wage 6.
Council member Dave Pritschet said offering Baloun step 6 should be worth considering, given his master’s degree and 14 years of experience as a police chief.