Man Accused Of Chasing Children With Machete In Waite Park

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 28-year-old Waite Park man is in jail accused of chasing children with a machete Thursday.

According to Waite Park police, officers were dispatched at 9:18 p.m. to the 200 block of 3rd Street South in Waite Park. They were responding to the report of a "male with a machete who had been chasing kids in the courtyard."

While en route, officers were advised by dispatch that someone at the same address was reporting that someone pointed a gun at them.

After arriving on the scene, police determined that the suspect had been in the courtyard over the prior few days chopping at a tree with a machete. Police said he was chopping at the tree Thursday when, at some point, he stopped and began chasing three children who were playing nearby.

When one of the children advised a parent of the situation, they confronted the suspect. While the parent was speaking to the suspect, the suspect reached into his pocket, so the parent "became afraid and brandished a gun", police said.

The suspect allegedly told police at the scene that the parent pointed a gun at his head. However, police said a gun was never pointed at him.

The suspect was then arrested for second-degree assault and taken to Stearns County Jail.