A Hibbing teenager and an accomplice allegedly forced a man to strip to his boxers at gunpoint, then beat him with their firearms and stole his phone, marijuana and clothing in Balkan Township, prosecutors say.
The robbery happened at about 12:45 a.m. on August 31, 2026, in Saint Louis County, according to the criminal complaint.
Joshua Blake West, 18, of Hibbing, faces a charge of first-degree aggravated robbery.
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According to court records, the victim told deputies he and a friend arranged for West to give them a ride to visit another friend in Balkan Township in exchange for one gram of marijuana. During the ride, West and another male, later identified as the victim, began arguing with the victim and making disrespectful comments.
The complaint states that West retrieved a handgun from the glove box and concealed it under his shirt, while the victim also displayed a gun. Once the group exited the vehicle, the victim asked West if he wanted to fight. West said he did not, then swung at the victim. The victim punched West in the face, then heard West “c*** the gun.”
West and the victim ordered the victim to run, then told him to stop and strip. The victim complied, removing his clothing down to his boxers. As he was taking off his shirt, West and the victim struck him in the lip, chest and back of the head with their guns. A deputy later observed a cut on the inside of the victim’s lower lip.
After the assault, the victim ran and hid in some bushes until West and the victim drove away. The victim was unable to find his belongings and reported that his Samsung phone, a vape, marijuana and clothing had been taken.
A friend of the victim used Snapchat to track the stolen phone to an address on 32nd Street West in Hibbing. Law enforcement found the suspect vehicle in Hibbing, with West driving and the victim in the back seat. The victim was wearing a black ski mask on his head. The vehicle was towed and searched under a warrant, turning up another ski mask, multiple boxes of ammunition, several vapes, a bag of marijuana and a cell phone case matching the victim’s stolen phone.
The victim later confirmed to deputies that West was the person who assaulted him and took his belongings.
The charge was filed Wednesday, September 2, 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 dangerous weapon or bodily harm is alleged. First-degree aggravated robbery carries up to 20 years; second-degree up to 15. Carjacking is charged under § 609.247.
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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.
