ID released of Little Falls man, 37, shot to death by officers in standoff last week

ID released of Little Falls man, 37, shot to death by officers in standoff last weekAuthorities have released the name of a Little Falls, Minn., man shot to death after a standoff with law officers last week.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified him as Patrick Jeske, 37. An autopsy found Jeske was shot more than once.

Morrison County sheriff's deputies were called early Thursday about a man with a gun who was said to be suicidal.

When officers tried to stop Jeske's vehicle, he pulled into a driveway and reportedly got out armed with a shotgun, authorities said. Officers opened fire when he refused to put down the weapon.

Four officials are on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated. They are Little Falls police officers Jon West and Joshua Burgardt and Morrison County sheriff's deputy James Paschelke and sheriff's Sgt. Shawn Larson.

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Deaths of Winona man, mother investigatedAuthorities have identified the elderly mother and adult son whose bodies were found in a Winona, Minn., home over the weekend.

The son died from a self-inflicted gunshot, Williams said. Police are unsure of the woman's exact cause of death but say it does not appear to be the result of a murder-suicide.

KAGE-AM reported the mother had been in ill health. Williams says there was no obvious trauma to her body.

A relative who had been unable to contact the two for several days called police Saturday, asking officers to check on them. Officers went to the home and found both bodies on the main floor.

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Unattended cigarette suspected in fatal fireAn unattended cigarette apparently caused a fire that killed a man living in a Duluth high-rise.

A man who apparently was smoking a cigarette on a couch was found badly burned. He was taken to a Duluth hospital, then airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where he died. His name has not been released.

The building is scheduled to go smoke-free in March.

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St. Cloud burglar sought snacks, sweetsWhoever burglarized St. Cloud City Hall over New Year's weekend must have been hungry.

Police say a few items were damaged and other items stolen. City Administrator Mike Williams says "nothing of any great significance" was taken -- just food and candy from some employees' desks.

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Minnesota man sentenced in Iowa drug caseA Minnesota man convicted of kidnapping and drug dealing in northwest Iowa has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison.

The office of U.S. Attorney Stephanie Rose, Northern District of Iowa, said German Robles-Garcia, 29, of Minneapolis, was convicted in August and sentenced last month. He must serve five years of supervised release after he leaves prison.

Trial evidence says Robles-Garcia conspired to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine from April 2009 through about February 2010 in the Sioux City, Iowa, area.

He also traveled to Iowa to collect about $100,000 in sales proceeds owed him by a fellow drug dealer.