A 29-year-old Duluth man tried to rob a woman of her phone as she walked to work late at night, punching her in the face and kicking her twice, prosecutors say.
The attack happened at about 11:46 p.m. on August 4 outside the Family Justice Center in Duluth, according to the complaint. Officers found the victim lying on the ground with a fresh, bleeding wound near her right eyebrow. She told police she had been walking to her job at the Duluth Bethel, a nonprofit addiction treatment and community corrections center, when she noticed a man standing outside the Needle Exchange on West 1st Street.
The victim said the man crossed the street toward her, punched her on the right side of her face and knocked her to the ground.
READ MORE → Saint Louis County coverage
The complaint states the man then kicked the victim twice in the ribs and tried to grab her phone. The victim managed to keep hold of her phone and dial 911. The man called her a b**** and left the area in an unknown direction. Officers observed her injuries and reviewed Milestone surveillance footage, which corroborated the victim’s account.
Anthony Abur-Rahman Braveheart faces a charge of attempted first-degree aggravated robbery. The charge alleges he used force and attempted to take property from the victim during the assault.
Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage and identified a man matching the assailant’s description. The man in the video walked with a distinct gait and had a unique physical appearance. Officers determined the man was Anthony Abur-Rahman Braveheart. The next day, investigators saw Braveheart panhandling near Lake Avenue and West Superior Street.
Before officers could arrest him, he was transported by a fleet vehicle to Duluth Family Medicine. Investigators made contact with Braveheart at that location and arrested him.
According to the complaint, Braveheart made spontaneous statements during his arrest, including claims about being Russian and having ties to Chicago gangs.
The charge was filed August 28 in Saint Louis County District Court.
About This Charge
Minnesota distinguishes simple robbery (§ 609.24, up to 10 years) from aggravated robbery (§ 609.245), where a weapon or bodily harm is alleged. First-degree aggravated robbery carries up to 20 years; second-degree up to 15. Because Braveheart is charged with an attempt, § 609.17 caps his exposure at half the completed-offense maximum, up to 10 years. Carjacking is charged under § 609.247.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
2 Charges Filed After Duluth Man Tries Pulling Woman From Truck • 4 Felony Counts for Duluth Man After Jeep Crash Kills 1 Passenger • Cloquet Man Accused of Strangling Victim, Demanding Knife
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.
