Charges: Man Shot, Killed During Holiday Party At North Shore Resort

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 61-year-old man from Finland, Minn., is facing murder charges after shooting another man during a holiday party at a resort along the North Shore, according to charges filed Monday in Cook County Court.

Kirk Lee Bigby was charged with second-degree intentional murder in the Dec. 10 shooting death of Marcus Lee Roberts. The incident happened just after midnight outside the restaurant at the Bluefin Bay Resort in Tofte.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office was called to the resort on a report of a shooting in the Bluefin Grill Restaurant. When officers arrived, they found a many, later identified as Roberts, lying on his back not breathing and unresponsive with blood coming from the left side of his chest under his arm. Roberts was pronounced dead a short time later and a .45-caliber shell casing was discovered next to his body.

The complaint states officers learned there had been a holiday party that night for the staff at the Bluefin Bay Resort. A witness told authorities he had seen a man holding a gun shortly after the shooting and saw Bigby sitting on the ground next to the victim.

Another witness told authorities he was outside smoking when he saw Bigby, also known as "Kirk the firewood guy" pull out a gun and shoot Roberts. He told authorities the victim was a blackjack dealer brought in for the party, according to the complaint.

The complaint states Bigby was staying at the resort that night and was a known gun enthusiast. Officers located him in his room, and the gun used in the incident was in the room as well. Bullets from the gun matched casings found next to Roberts.

Bigby suffered a facial injury during his arrest due to resisting, the complaint states. A motive behind the shooting remains unclear.

If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.