Wednesday, September 23, 2026
The Little Falls Police Department in a press release Tuesday morning stated that they were assisting agencies in Northwest Little Falls around 8th Street and 9th Avenue in an ongoing missing person investigation. For the safety of those involved they had asked that the public stay away from the area where the police and other agencies were at with their presence on Tuesday. No other information was released on the reason behind it only that police were assisting in the locating of a missing person on Tuesday.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the death of a man who was found unresponsive in his cell at the Stearns County Jail less than a day after St. Cloud police brought him there. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says jail staff doing well-being checks found 34-year-old Isiah Ero-Phillips having a medical emergency at about 3:49 a.m. on September 12th. Correctional officers started life-saving measures, and Mayo Ambulance crews and St. Cloud Fire/Rescue continued those efforts when they arrived. Ambulance staff later pronounced Ero-Phillips dead. St. Cloud police had arrested Ero-Phillips on suspicion of felony domestic assault. He was booked into the jail at about 9:05am on September 11th. The sheriff’s office says he was heavily intoxicated at the time. The sheriff’s office says bringing in the BCA is routine in cases like this. The investigation is ongoing, and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office is doing an autopsy.
Two men are dead and a third is in critical condition after a shooting in Willmar Monday night. Police were called to Rau Park, in the 1000 block of 7th Street Northwest, at 8:00 on a report of gunshots. Officers and paramedics found two men, ages 19 and 20, and began life-saving measures. Both were taken by ambulance to Carris Hospital in Willmar, where one of them died. The other was flown by helicopter to CentrCare-St. Cloud Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. A third man, also 19, was driven to the Willmar hospital in a personal vehicle and was pronounced dead there. All three are from Willmar. Police are withholding their names until families are notified. Investigators say the shooting was not a random act of violence, and they don’t believe there is an ongoing threat to the public. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s crime lab was called in to help process the scene, and police are continuing to interview witnesses. Police describe the case as fluid and say more information will be released as the investigation develops.
A St. Cloud man will spend more than 17 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a child starting when she was six years old. Stearns County Judge Andrew Pearson sentenced 43-year-old Scott Erickson on Monday to over 17 years in prison. Erickson will get credit for just over two years already served. After his release, he’ll be on conditional release for 10 years and must register as a predatory offender. The sentence is longer than Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines call for. When a jury convicted Erickson in January, jurors also found the abuse involved multiple forms of sexual assault and happened in a place where the girl had an expectation of privacy. Those findings allowed the judge to go above the guidelines. The investigation started in May of 2024, when the girl told a nurse at the Midwest Children’s Resource Center about the abuse. According to the criminal complaint, it happened multiple times at homes in St. Cloud and St. Joseph between 2022 and 2024. Erickson was charged that August. He was convicted of two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Three teenage suspects are in custody following a shooting that injured a 33-year-old man in Hinckley on Sunday. Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department said the three teens were arrested Monday after law enforcement carried out multiple search warrants and found a firearm buried in the woods. The man injured in the shooting was airlifted to a Twin Cities hospital and is in stable condition as of Tuesday. According to police, officers responded to the shooting on the 2300 block of Wiigwaas Street around 8:30pm Sunday and found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the lower abdomen. Authorities have not shared any details regarding the circumstances leading up the shooting, which remains under investigation.
Police are investigating anonymous threats at both of Lakeville’s public high schools on Tuesday. The Lakeville Police Department announced just before 1pm that its officers are responding to a threat at Lakeville North High School, shortly after Lakeville South High School was placed on lockdown then evacuated due to a threat. “An active investigation is underway regarding the source of the threats made to Lakeville North and Lakeville South,” the department said in a Facebook post. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the threats are connected. The district confirmed in a letter to parts that Lakeville South was on lockdown, and urged parents not to travel to the campus or attempt to contact the school until the situation is resolved. Students were later evacuated from the building. “As a precaution, we ask people to avoid the area and not come to the school while the response is underway,” Lakeville PD said. “Parents, students and staff should follow instructions and updates provided directly by Lakeville Area Schools.” The department said it’s working closely with Lakeville Area Schools and other public safety partners. As details are confirmed, additional information will be shared by the city and school district.
National News: US President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly a deal with Iran is possible after the midterm elections, but his other choice is to “annihilate the Islamic Republic.” He also spoke about US munitions stockpiles and plans to establish a “large military presence” on Greenland. When he vowed that Cuba’s communist government “will fall,” the Cuban delegation walked out. Iran talks: Speaking afterward, the president said members of his administration had a “very good meeting” for about three hours with the Iranian delegation. Meeting with Zelensky: Trump said he thinks Ukraine and Russia will make a deal but did not give any specifics. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky separately said he is ready for a trilateral meeting with Russia and the US. Also on the agenda: Trump took part in a trilateral signing ceremony to formalize a new Greenland security agreement. He will speak with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez later.
Royalton High School is excited to announce the candidates for the 2026 Homecoming Court. The Homecoming King Candidates are Ethan Vannurden, Kane Neisen, Keaton Nelson, Reed Revoir, and Max Vannurden. The Homecoming Queen Candidates are Callie Isder, Brianna Popp, Jetta Blais, Isabelle Marvel, and Aleah Bzdok. The Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned during Coronation on Sunday, October 4, at 6pm in the Royalton High School Cafetorium. Families, friends, alumni, and community members are invited to attend.
Little Falls Community High School invites all to the Coronation of their Homecoming Royalton this Friday, September 25th, doors open at 9:35am for the program at 9:45am at the Little Falls Community High School Gym. Please use door 1 to enter the school. There are dress up days next week and the Homecoming Game will be against Pierz on October 2nd at 7pm at Flyer Field. Hear the game live on 94ROCKS KFML.
Weather: sunny skies today high 65. Showers and thunderstorms toward Thursday morning, increasing clouds tonight low 51. Showers and thunderstorms likely Thursday until early afternoon, some heavier downpours possible, high 60, cloudy skies Thursday night low around 53. Cloudy skies Friday, high 67, showers and storms develop before midnight Friday night low around 53. Showers with potential heavy rains on Saturday, gusty winds over 30mph, high 62, showers ending Saturday night then partial clearing late, low near 50. Partly sunny skies Sunday, high near 70, showers late Sunday night low near 54. Rain likely Monday high near 70, low around 48. Sunny and mild Tuesday high near 70, low near 53.
Sports: Congratulations to Myla Ballou for her tennis win #71 becoming the all time winningest girls tennis player in Little Falls Schools history as Little Falls also won their 10th match this season 5-2 over Crosby Ironton-Aitkin yesterday. Little Falls Boys Soccer won, the girls soccer team lost, Swanville beat Upsala in volleyball while Little Falls and Pierz lost. Pine City beat Pierz in tennis Tuesday. Walker Jenkins homered as Twins hold off Giants 3-2 last night in California. Twins wrap up series at San Francisco today at 2:45pm. Twins are off on Thursday then return home to wrap up the season with Texas starting on Friday night. Indiana beat the Lynx last night 96-77. Lynx did not play Olivia Miles and all Lynx starters only played part time in the game as the Lynx host Indiana Thursday at 7pm to wrap up the regular season. Wild have Dallas in preseason hockey tonight. Thursday Night Football is Atlanta at Green Bay at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.