WTIP UPDATE: Cause of Schlienz death “undetermined”

On Dec. 27, at 8 a.m., inmate Daniel Sidney Schlienz died at Essentia/St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, according to a statement released by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department.

The St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy Tuesday and ruled the cause and manner of death as “undetermined” pending additional lab tests, which could take several weeks to complete. Foul play is not suspected.

Schlienz had been in custody at the St. Louis County Jail since December 16 and had been arraigned Dec. 19 in district court in Duluth with two counts of attempted first-degree premeditated murder in conjunction with a shooting at the Cook County Courthouse on Dec. 15.

County Attorney Tim Scannell and Greg Thompson were shot. Schlienz, had been convicted that day of a sex crime. He had been prosecuted by Scannell, Thompson was a witness.

The St. Louis County Sheriff reported that while in jail on Dec. 26, Schlienz showed signs of medical distress. Jail staff called 911 at 7:49 p.m. and Gold Cross Ambulance transported him to Essentia/St. Mary's Hospital for medical care. Schlienz died while in the hospital at approximately 8 a.m. with family members present.

Yesterday's story

On Dec. 27, at 8 a.m., inmate Daniel Sidney Schlienz died at Essentia/St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth.

Schlienz had been in custody at the St. Louis County Jail since December 16 and had been arraigned for criminal charges in conjunction with a shooting at the Cook County Courthouse on Dec. 15.

While in jail on Dec. 26, Schlienz showed signs of medical distress. Jail staff called 911 at 7:49 p.m. and Gold Cross Ambulance transported him to Essentia/St. Mary's Hospital for medical care. Schlienz died while in the hospital at approximately 8 a.m. with family members present.

The incident is under investigation by the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office and the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's Office will be conducting an autopsy today (Dec. 27).

Preliminary investigation does not indicate any foul play involved in Schlienz' death.

No press conference is scheduled at this time. There will be an update once the preliminary cause of death is determined by the medical examiner's office.

Earlier story

Daniel Schlienz, the suspected gunman in the Cook County Courthouse shooting, has passed away. He had been in custody in St. Louis County in the jail in Duluth.

According to WDIO News, St. Louis County Undersheriff Dave Phillips said that Schlienz had been ill. The staff at the St. Louis County jail had been doing constant checks, and called 911 early Tuesday morning. Schlienz had been in an intensive supervision unit, according to Phillips.

Schlienz was transported to Essentia Health St. Mary's, where he died around 3am. An autopsy will be done.
Schlienz allegedly shot the Cook County Attorney, Tim Scannell and Greg Thompson back on December 15th. Both men survived multiple shots, and are recovering now at home.

Schlienz had been convicted that day of a sex crime. He had been prosecuted by Scannell, and Thompson had been a witness in the trial.