A woman carrying a gas can walked into a secure Duluth boarding house, threw pizza at an employee and tried to pour gasoline on her before fleeing from police, according to charges.
Aiyana Lakota Rose Plenty Horse, 26, of Duluth, faces charges of third-degree burglary, fifth-degree assault and fleeing police on foot.
According to the complaint, officers responded to Miketins Boarding House in Duluth on August 24 after employees reported an unwanted woman inside the building. The victim, who was working in the kitchen with a coworker, told officers that an unknown woman entered through a door that is usually locked and did not leave when asked. Only residents or people waiting for residents are allowed in the lobby, staff said.
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Surveillance video showed the woman, later identified as Plenty Horse, entering the office area carrying a gas can. She walked past the employees into the kitchen, grabbed a pink water bottle and headed for the door. One employee confronted her and took the water bottle back. The video then showed Plenty Horse walking toward the lobby door, throwing pizza at the victim and lifting the gas can above the victim’s head while making a pouring motion.
The victim told officers she managed to block the gas can opening, getting some gasoline on her hands before washing them off. She reported feeling shaken and terrified by the encounter. During the confrontation, Plenty Horse called the victim names, including “little” and “little hands,” according to the complaint. After the incident, Plenty Horse left with the gas can, saying she was going to call the police.
Officers arriving at the scene saw Plenty Horse walking on First Avenue East. When she noticed the police squad’s lights, she turned around and began walking away, then ran into an alley and an area with tall grass. An officer caught up to her after she tripped over an unknown object. She was arrested and searched, with only some tinfoil found in her wallet.
While in the squad car, Plenty Horse spontaneously stated that she was the one with the gas can. The complaint notes she has a prior conviction for fifth-degree assault from April 2024.
The charges include third-degree burglary for entering the secure building without consent and intending to commit a crime, fifth-degree assault for attempting to pour gasoline on the victim and fleeing police on foot.
The complaint was filed Wednesday, August 26. 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.
