Timeline of Events Leading To Arrest Of Cody Lee Walker-Nelson, 19 Felony Charges
Duluth Police apprehended 30-year old Cody Lee Walker-Nelson on Friday, October 1 following a dangerous, high-speed pursuit and a lengthy, almost-six hour standoff in West Duluth. In all, Walker-Nelson is charged with 19 felony counts and two misdemeanor offenses related to the afternoon crime spree.
Details as they happened were scattered all over the news channels and social media. The length of the crime spree as well as the numerous and different incidents made it hard to digest all of it. In a release by the Duluth Police Department, they offered that:
"[t]o best describe the actions leading up to the arrest of....Cody Lee Walker-Nelson....the Duluth Police Department is providing [a] timeline outlining the chaotic events of that day. The incident concluded after Walker-Nelson, armed and barricaded in a West Duluth apartment building, was taken into custody after communication with the Duluth Police Department's Crisis Negotiation team and intervention by the Tactical Response Team."
In all, Walker-Nelson was charged with "three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, one count of second-degree assault, two counts of failure to stop for a collision, three counts of reckless discharge of a firearm, two counts of fleeing a police officer, and seven counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon".
Here's a summary of each of the cases, as detailed in the information released by the Duluth Police Department [paraphrased from the official release]:
- Case One: Sometime before 11:33 AM, it's suspected that Walker-Nelson came into the possession of numerous firearms after burglarizing a home on Karky Road in Superior.
- Case Two: At approximately 11:33 AM, Duluth Police responded to the report of an attempted vehicle theft in West Duluth, where a Chevy Tahoe was taken.
- Case Three: At approximately 12:19 PM, Duluth Police responded to the 10400 block of Highway 23 for the report of a burglary. The officers found property damage. The suspect wasn't at the scene, but surveillance video showed the Chevy Tahoe.
- Case Four: At Approximately 12:27 PM, Duluth Police responded to a weapons call at a car dealership in t he 1400 lock of Commonwealth Avenue. A suspect identified as Walker-Nelson attempted to break into a vehicle and steal it. He was reported armed with a sword. The suspect left, and drover erratically away from the dealership, brandishing a firearm of some kind out the window of the Tahoe and firing it.
- Case Five: Approximately 12;36 PM, Duluth Police responded to a call of a stolen blue Ford Escape in the 5400 block of Grand Avenue. Multiple reports of a blue Ford Escape driving recklessly in the area continued to be fielded by the Duluth Police. At this point, Walker-Nelson entered the Bong Bridge on the wrong side and drove back across to Superior. At approximately 1:40 PM, he attempted to rob a bank in Supeiror.
- Case Six: At about 1:48 PM, Duluth Police responded to a call of shots fired in the 400 block of N 51st Avenue. Walker-Nelson arrived in the Escape and pointed handgun at two victims. Walker-Nelson discharged the firearm and demanded money. At 2:13PM, an off-duty police investigator responded to notifications that someone had entered their vehicle while at a gas station. The investigator confronted Walker-Nelson, who re-entered the blue Ford Escape and took off. A short time later, law enforcement located Walker-Nelson in the blue Ford Escape and a pursuit was initiated. The suspect led the chase through neighborhoods with "complete disregard for public safety". The pursuit led to Lincoln Park, but was eventually terminated due to safety concerns. This led to police finding Walker-Nelson barricaded in an apartment building. While barricaded, Walker-Nelson discharged his firearm several times. Walker-Nelson was finally arrested and taken into custody at 8:27 PM.
It's worth noting that all of these cases remain under investigation by the Duluth Police Department, Superior Police Department, and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
At this time, the suspect remains in the St. Louis County Jail awaiting formal charges.
Additional information was provided in an article in the Superior Telegram.