A woman pulled a handgun from her waistband and pointed it at two landscapers as they tried to leave a Hermantown property, telling them, “I got a gun…you see this?” according to criminal charges.
Cheri Lynn Solberg, 57, of Duluth, faces charges of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and threats of violence, according to a complaint filed Friday in Saint Louis County District Court.
Officers responded to a report of a person with a gun at a Hermantown address at 8:20 p.m. on August 5. The reporting party, who was working landscaping at the property with a co-worker, told officers that a woman later identified as Solberg came out of the residence with a pistol in her waistband and began arguing with them about making noise after hours.
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According to the complaint, as the landscaper and his co-worker got into their work truck to leave, Solberg pulled the handgun from her waistband and pointed it directly at both men. The reporting party told officers he was “scared s***less” and believed he was about to be shot. He said Solberg announced, “I got a gun…you see this?” as she pointed the weapon at them.
The complaint says the victim and his co-worker drove away from the scene and contacted law enforcement. Officers arrived and spoke with the reporting party, who described the confrontation and identified Solberg as the woman who had threatened them with the firearm.
Solberg is charged with second-degree assault for allegedly pointing a handgun at the victim and his co-worker, and with threats of violence for making statements that caused them to fear for their safety.
The charge was filed August 7 and a court date has not yet been set.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from gross-misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
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Jurisdictional Context
Saint Louis County is Minnesota’s largest county by area, stretching from Duluth to the Canadian border. The Saint Louis County Attorney’s Office prosecutes felonies through the Sixth Judicial District; cases are heard at the Saint Louis County Courthouse in Duluth and the Virginia courthouse for cases north of the iron range.
