A 52-year-old Minnesota man was charged Monday in a weekend stabbing attack on people who were tubing on a river in western Wisconsin, including a teenager who was killed and four other people who were wounded.
Nicolae Miu, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, is charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide and four counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide in St. Croix County, which sits along Wisconsin's border with Minnesota. The judge set bond at $1 million cash for Miu, who appeared at the hearing by video.
The family of the teen who died has identified him as 17-year-old Isaac Schuman, of Stillwater, Minnesota. He would have been a senior at Stillwater High School this fall.
The victims were tubing on Saturday down the Apple River northeast of Stillwater, which is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Minneapolis, when they were attacked, sheriff's officials said. Those wounded were two men from Luck, Wisconsin, ages 20 and 22, a 24-year-old woman from Burnsville, Minnesota, and a 22-year-old man from Elk River, Minnesota.
The Burnsville victim, Ryhley Mattison, wrote in a GoFundMe post that she was tubing with her friends when they came across a group asking for help. She said there was an older man who was “being inappropriate and was asked to leave, but wouldn't," and that he stabbed her and several other people.
The victims from Luck have been released from the hospital, St. Croix County Sheriff Scott Knudson said Monday.
Schuman's family said in a statement that he was an honor roll student and was preparing to apply to several universities to study electrical engineering.
“He had an incredibly bright future ahead of him and we are all heartbroken and devastated beyond words that his future has been tragically and senselessly cut short,” the family said. “We very much appreciate the overwhelming outpouring of love and support from our friends, Isaac’s friends and the Stillwater Community.”
Stillwater High School Principal Robert Bach said in an e-mail to families that “we extend our deepest sympathy to the family and everyone impacted directly or indirectly."
Bach told parents the school would help them and their children work through he difficult process.
“The death of a classmate, even for those who didn’t know them well, will impact each student differently, and all reactions need to be addressed with great care and support," he wrote. "We encourage you to talk with your children about this sad news and help them to process their feelings."
