By Paul Walsh / Star Tribune
A 33-year-old woman made threats to kill a Somali family while twice invading their St. Cloud area home during a violent and hate-filled tirade over the weekend, according to charges.
Alyssa M. Holmberg, of Ogilvie, Minn., was charged Monday in Stearns County District Court with felonies of burglary and threats of violence, as well gross misdemeanors for bias-motivated assault and assaulting a police officer in connection with an incident Saturday afternoon at a Waite Park apartment building.
Holmberg remains jailed without bail ahead of a court hearing Tuesday. Court records do not list an attorney for her.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minnesota, a civil rights and legal advocacy organization, said Tuesday that “we welcome the swift actions of police, and hope the charge of felony assault motivated by bias resulting from this disturbing incident sends a strong message that alleged acts of racist violence will not be tolerated and will result in an appropriate response by law enforcement authorities.”
According to the criminal complaint:
A 911 call from a Somali family sent police to the apartment building in the 200 block of S. 3rd Street, where they arrived to see Holmberg chasing a man and yelling at him.
Once officers caught up to Holmberg and started to handcuff her, she was irate about Somalis being on the police force. Holmberg kicked one officer and called her vulgar names.
The man being chased told police he was walking on the sidewalk near the apartment building when Holmberg shouted “Somali, move!” the complaint quoted him as saying. Holmberg threw an object and hit the man’s back before chasing him.
A girl in the family that called 911 said Holmberg walked into her apartment, said she hated Somalis and screamed that was going to kill her and her family. Holmberg threw an object at the girl and left, only to walk back in and resume screaming.
A man in the family told police that Holmberg knocked over a baby while in the apartment and pushed him on the ground.
Three family members said 911 was called once Holmberg was pounding on the door trying to get in a third time.
Source – Star Tribune
