TUBING TRAGEDY

17-Year-Old Killed in Knife Attack While Tubing, 4 Others in Critical Condition: Sheriff

Authorities have arrested a 52-year-old suspect who they believe is responsible.

A 17-year-old from Minnesota is dead and four others are in critical condition after a man allegedly went on a stabbing spree while they were all tubing on the Apple River in Wisconsin, police say.

The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office said a 52-year-old man is in custody and is thought to be responsible for the bloodshed. He had initially fled the scene but was apprehended thanks to a witness snapping a photo of him, authorities said.

The suspect, who has not yet been named, had been tubing with a separate group on the river, according to police, who say it is still unclear what exactly led up to the attack. None of the victims have been identified. Sheriff Scott Knudson told reporters at an evening press conference that they all suffered “critical injuries” and a “range of knife wounds.”

They were described as three men and a woman, all in their early 20s.

Investigators were still working to determine the circumstances of the incident as of Saturday evening, with Knudson noting that there were a large number of people who witnessed the horror unfold and now need to be interviewed.

“I’m sure that anybody that witnessed this will never forget it,” he said.

It was the first stabbing in the area in around 15 years, he said.

“I don’t know what to make of it,” Knudson said. “It is a tragedy.”