On December 30, 2025, Officers with the Lakes Area Police Department responded to a report of a male who had barricaded himself inside of a business and was threatening to kill himself and others. The business was noted to be a business which stocked various chemicals, located within a shared industrial building on the 10000th block of Liberty Lane in Chisago City, Chisago County, Minnesota. The suspect was identified as WILLIAM CASEY SOLOMON, [DOB REDACTED] ("Defendant" herein). On scene, law enforcement made contact with Defendant's wife, who advised that Defendant is threatening to use chemicals inside the building to harm himself and anyone who tried to enter.
While speaking with law enforcement, Defendant's wife received a phone call from Defendant. During that call, Defendant threatened to "light this place on fire" with "4 containers of solvent ready to get kicked over and released" if someone did not stop him. Law enforcement was advised that Defendant is a veteran with a PhD in Chemistry, that his position in the military had been associated with chemical weapons, and that he had the knowledge and capability to create harmful chemicals and explosives.
During the course of the incident, Defendant made additional threats that he would shoot officers to get them to shoot him, and that he would throw nitric acid on anyone that tried to come into the building. The Chisago County Emergency Response Unit was activated and large-scale efforts were undertaken to evacuate the building Defendant was located in along with surrounding buildings. A warrant for Defendant's arrest was ultimately executed and Defendant was taken into custody.
