On Tuesday morning, Cloquet officials held a press conference to update the community on the shooting incident that occurred at the Super 8 Motel in Cloquet on Monday.

According to Cloquet Police Chief Derek Randall, the motive for the shooting is still unclear. The investigation continues.

Chief Derek Randall said at approximately 6:30 p.m. an employee of the Super 8 Motel called 911 to report they’d found another hotel employee who looked like she had been attacked.

Cloquet police responded and found a 22-year-old female with a gunshot wound. She was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

During the initial investigation, Chief Randall said officers then located a 35-year-old Deer River man with multiple gunshot wounds who was deceased in a car in the parking lot. Officers located another body on hotel property.

“A 32-year-old man from Ramsey, Minnesota was found dead outside on the hotel property with evidence suggesting a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” Chief Randall said a hand gun was found near the man.

“Based on what the officers found,” Chief Randall said, “we believe that there was an active shooter situation. We took a cautious approach and issued an alert until more information about the suspects whereabouts was known.”

A shelter in place was sent out to the public and officers secured the scene. Authorities used surveillance video from the hotel to determine that the suspect was one of the deceased individuals. At around 8 p.m. the shelter-in-place order was lifted as police were confident there was no further threat to the public.

Mayor Roger Maki shared his heartfelt sympathies with the families of the victims on Tuesday morning. Mayor Maki says the public’s support allowed law enforcement to be able to “work the case as safely and efficiently as possible and give the all clear.”

“I would like to thank the public for their cooperation with our sheltering in place,” Mayor Maki said. “Finally, I would like to thank the many law enforcement and emergency responders that went to great links to ensure the safety of our community. These brave men and women charged with keeping our community safe in instances like these, continue to rush into situations like these, with public and community safety as their priority.”

If you need help in the aftermath, the Red Cross is available. So is the Human Development Center, which is offering walk-in therapy services. 1102 Cloquet Avenue. 218-879-4559.

A press release issued Monday night is as follows:

On Monday, January 8, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m. An employee of the Super 8 hotel in Cloquet called 911 to report they’d found another hotel employee who looked like she’d been attacked.

Cloquet police responded and found a 22-year-old female with a gunshot wound. She was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Video from Monday night’s WDIO News at Ten.

The Cloquet Police Department warned the residents of Big Lake Road and Hwy 33 area, of an active shooter. Cloquet Police issued a shelter-in-place warning, on Monday January 8th at 7:03pm.

As officers investigated, they found a 35-year-old male victim in a car in the hotel parking lot. The man was deceased from a gunshot wound. 

They later found a 32-year-old male outside on the hotel property who was deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A firearm was located next to him. Officers reviewed surveillance video from the hotel and confirmed that this deceased male was the suspect.

Around 8pm, the shelter-in-place order has been lifted. Police are confident there is no further threat to the public. Wade Rasch, the Division Commander of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, provided details on the fatal shooting.

“There was a large law enforcement response locally and regionally,” Rasch said. “There was a report of an active shooter, which I believe, turned out to be three deceased individuals at the Super eight motel. And we’ve determined that that there’s no longer a threat as far as unknown location of a suspect.”

The identities of the three deceased are not yet being released pending notification of their respective families.

There is no information yet on a motive for the shootings or if there was any connection between the suspect and either of the victims. Crime scene investigators are actively processing the scene.

The Cloquet Police Department extends its sympathies to the families of the victims in this tragic case. Assisting the Cloquet Police in this case includes: Cloquet Area Fire District, Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, Fond Du Lac Police, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Homeland Security Emergency Management, and Mayo Ambulance.