An 84-year-old man attacked a woman with a pipe wrench and threatened her with a knife inside a Lino Lakes assisted living facility, prosecutors say.
Donald Thomas Mazur, of Lino Lakes, faces a charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to a complaint filed Wednesday in Anoka County District Court.
According to the complaint, officers responded to an assisted living facility in Lino Lakes on July 28, 2026, after staff reported an assault in progress. Staff told officers that Mazur had a knife and was attacking another resident. Officers found Mazur seated on a couch in a resident’s room, holding a steak knife. An adult female victim was bleeding from a head wound and receiving medical aid from staff.
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Officers pointed their firearms at Mazur and ordered him to drop the knife. Mazur responded by saying “shoot me” multiple times before an officer was able to safely disarm him. Officers recovered a steak knife with a serrated edge and a pipe wrench wrapped in a blue towel, which appeared to have blood on it.
Mazur told officers he had dementia and believed his time would be up soon. He said the pipe wrench was his and the knife belonged to the victim. The victim told officers she had been watching television with Mazur when she noticed he was acting strangely.
She asked what was wrong, and Mazur pulled out a knife, pointed it at her and said, “I am gonna kill you.” The victim reported that Mazur then pulled out a pipe wrench and struck her on the head multiple times until staff responded to her screams. Mazur then sat on the couch and began waving the knife around.
Another resident told officers that Mazur likely saw the victim as his girlfriend, but that they were on a break and Mazur had expressed frustration about spending a lot of money on her.
The charge of second-degree assault alleges Mazur used a dangerous weapon to threaten and injure the victim. The complaint does not mention any prior criminal history for Mazur.
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 misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
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Jurisdictional Context
Anoka County, north of the Twin Cities, is served by the Anoka County Attorney’s Office through the Tenth Judicial District. The Anoka County Courthouse in Anoka hears felony matters; the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office operates the Anoka County Jail.
