Black Bear Casino Patron Takes Own Life With Firearm

  • Incident took place near the gaming floor and the Seven Fires Steakhouse
  • Statement issued stressing that the property is safe and secure for guests
  • Shooting is not connected to a recent double murder on the Fond du Lac Reservation
"DO NOT CROSS LINE" police tape
A 52-year-old man took his own life with a firearm at Black Bear Casino’s Seven Fires Steakhouse on Monday afternoon. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Gaming floor shut down

A 52-year-old man took his own life in one of Black Bear Casino’s restaurants on Monday.

It has been confirmed that the victim died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound from a handgun. A portion of the Minnesota casino’s gaming floor was shut down after the incident took in Seven Fires Steakhouse.

the victim died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound from a handgun

Officials investigated the gaming floor and areas nearby following the shooting. The shooting did not result in any other injuries.

Heavy police presence

By midafternoon on Monday, Black Bear Casino was subject to a heavy police presence. Police parked several vehicles at the main entrance of the casino while officials investigated the scene. Players who wanted to stay onsite and continue to gamble were escorted to an area of the gaming floor that remained open.

The casino is located on the Fond du Lac Reservation and operated by Fond du Lac Tribal Enterprises. Terry Savage, executive director of Fond du Lac Tribal Enterprises, stated that the death took place in a public area. Following the investigation, Savage said:

Our property is safe and secure.”

The incident took place just a short time after news revealed the murder of a 27-year-old woman and her 18-month-old son on the Fond du Lac Reservation. Police made an arrest in connection with the murders.

According to Savage, so far, there is no connection between the murders over the weekend and the incident that took place at the casino on Monday.

Criminal activity at Black Bear

At the same time as the two unrelated incidents took place on the reservation, Black Bear Casino was in the news regarding the sentencing of a man involved in a major drug arrest from last year.

According to police, Steven Allen Lindquist was a drug dealer who dealt meth throughout the state of Minnesota. He worked with a female, Tiffany Marie Gauthier, to transport large quantities of the drug from Arizona.

Police arrested Lindquist in May of last year after someone tipped off police. The informant watched Lindquist selling meth at Black Bear Casino. Police found the suspect carrying 615 grams of the drug in a backpack at the casino. A judge sentenced the drug dealer to 17 years in federal prison for his crimes.  

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