All of the conduct described herein occurred within the County of St. Louis, State of Minnesota, unless otherwise noted. June 2, 2026, at approximately 4:30 A.M., Duluth Police received a call for a medical emergency at the Holiday Center in Duluth, 207 W Superior. Officers found Victim, a female wearing a blue sweatshirt and red sweatpants. She asked to be taken to the hospital. Victim was taken to Essentia Emergency Department. Victim reported to officers that a man whose name she did not know had “hurt” her, but she did not want to give more details to law enforcement at that time.
At the hospital she requested a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Exam and did not want to talk to police any more. At 10:25, Officer McCormick was notified that Victim decided she wanted to talk to police and explain what happened to her. Notably, in the hospital room where Officer McCormick interviewed Victim, [NAME REDACTED] one white Nike shoe with pink accents. Her other shoe was not with her. Victim [NAME REDACTED] had just been kicked out of treatment June 1 and was walking in downtown Duluth outside the Union Gospel Mission.
There she encountered a friend who was with other people, including a man later identified as Jermain Wickware. Victim and Wickware walked toward Gateway Towers. Wickware told Victim they would have to wait to get into Gateway, and he directed her to an area near the Michigan Street Garage. Wickware walked away, then came back to the place where Victim [NAME REDACTED], he pushed her down and began forcibly assaulting her. Victim said that Wickware started talking to things that were not there, and was telling her that he loved her, and that if she were “with other boys” he’d kill her.
Victim said that Wickware penetrated her vagina with his fingers and with his penis. He also made oral contact with her vaginal area. Wickware began strangling Victim [NAME REDACTED] was penetrating her vagina, causing her to almost lose consciousness. Wickware did not wear a condom while any of the assault happened, and Victim was unsure where Wickware ejaculated. Victim said that eventually Wickware fell asleep on top of her and she was able to slowly move out from under his body. Victim [NAME REDACTED] did not know Wickware’s identity but described him as an older black male with a scraggly grey beard or goatee, and a grey durag wearing neon orange shoes.
Victim [NAME REDACTED] on a map the area where the attack happened. Officer McCormick went to the area that Victim [NAME REDACTED], wearing the clothing described and matching the physical description. Also in the area, which was consistent with the description that Victim gave, officers also found a shoe that matched the white Nike with pink accents that was found with Victim. Victim also described a red backpack that she left at the scene where she had been attacked. Officer McCormick also saw this red backpack in the area where he found Wickware.
