Courthouse shooting injures three; suspect in custody

Just after four o’clock Thursday, December 15, a shooting occurred at the Cook County Courthouse in Grand Marais. 

There were three gunshot victims.  One victim was treated and released from the Cook County North Shore Hospital in Grand Marais.  Two victims were transported to Essentia Health Hospital in Duluth, MN.

One suspect is in custody and authorities are not seeking any other suspects.  According to Cook County Sheriff Mark Falk there are no threats to public safety.

Doug Neville, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, said that the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had investigators on the way to Grand Marais to assist the Cook County Sheriff’s investigators.

Confidential sources tell WTIP that the shootings occurred in the County Attorney's office on the second floor of the Courthouse.  Sources also say that County Attorney Tim Scannell was shot three times.  Also injured, according to confidential sources, was Court Bailiff Gary Radloff.

Scannell was listed in stable condition before going into surgery about 9 p.m. The third victim, Grand Marais resident Gregory Thompson, 53, was also taken to St. Mary's with multiple gunshot wounds. He was listed in fair condition Thursday night.

Before the surgery, his son Kieran Scannell posted a message on Facebook about his father’s condition. “When he left Cook County he was talking, his color was good, and the doctors said he was going to be OK,” he wrote. “Thanks for the support.”

Gary Schlienz, of Grand Marais, told the Duluth News Tribune the suspect is probably his son, 42-year-old Daniel Schlienz, a former professional boxer in Duluth.

Daniel Schlienz was the defendant in a criminal sexual conduct case that was being heard in the Grand Marais courthouse Thursday, according to court records.

Gary Schlienz told the News Tribune he went to the courthouse, where he was told this son was responsible for the shooting
The News Tribune also is reporting that John Kostouros, communications director for the Minnesota Judicial Branch, said he was told that the shooting occurred after a guilty verdict was returned in a case presided over by 6th Judicial District Judge Mark Munger of Duluth. Kostouros said neither Munger nor courtroom staff were injured.

Daniel Schlienz in 2006 entered an Alford Plea on charges that he sexually assaulted two 15-year-old girls and one 17-year-old girl. In 2007 he moved to withdraw the plea, a motion that was initially denied by the sentencing court. The Court of Appeals in January ruled that his plea withdrawal should have been accepted and reversed his conviction, which paved the way for the new trial.