Democratic Minnesota Senator and Air Force vet Nicole Mitchell, 49, arrested ... trends now
A Democratic state senator Minnesota who who once served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve, has been arrested on suspicion of burglary.
Police were called to a home in the 700 block of Granger Road of Detroit Lakes, early on Monday morning and arrested Nicole Mitchell, 49, who is from Woodbury, Minnesota.
When authorities responded and searched the home, they found Mitchell inside and took her into custody. The home was that of her late father and where her stepmother still lives.
The Becker County Attorney's Office is now reviewing the report before determining whether Mitchell, who is a first-term Democrat and was elected to a four-year term in 2022, will be charged.
Before becoming a state senator, Mitchell had a decorated career in the military and worked as a TV meteorologist including spending years on the Weather Channel. Her political career has been focused on veterans and climate issues.
Nicole Mitchell, 49, a Minnesota state senator and a former Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, was arrested for suspected burglary in Detroit Lakes
Colleagues expressed shock, noting her Senate work on veterans and climate policies - along with her prior military and TV meteorology career
The Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel was an aerial reconnaissance weather officer with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
A spokesperson for the Minnesota Senate Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party said in a statement the party was 'aware of the situation and has no comment pending further information.'
'Knowing very few details at this time, I am shocked by the news of Sen. Nicole Mitchell's arrest for first-degree burglary. The public expects Legislators to meet a high standard of conduct. As information comes out, we expect the consequences to meet the actions, both in the court of law, and in her role at the legislature,' the chamber's Republican leader, Mark Johnson, said in a separate statement.
Currently, Democrats hold just a one seat majority (34-33) in the 67-member Minnesota Senate with the Legislature now heading into the final month of its 2024 session.
She currently represents the 47th district and 85,000 residents. Her district includes the city of Woodbury outside of St. Paul.
During her time in the Senate, Mitchell has worked on policies relating to veterans, child protection and climate change.
She also helped introduce a bill calling for criminal penalties for those who fail to meet safe firearm storage standards while also co-authoring a bill proposing incarcerated people in the state to be relocated from prisons to their last stated address.
Lt Col. Mitchell was particularly telegenic and would often front pieces to camera when required on behalf of the military
Mitchell would fly on the WC-130J Super Hercules though the eye of active hurricanes to
