HUDSON, Wis. – A 54-year-old man from Minnesota has been found guilty in the death of a high school student and the stabbing of four others who were tubing on a river in western Wisconsin. Nicolae Miu was convicted of first-degree reckless homicide, four counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and one count of battery. The jury in the Wisconsin circuit court reached the verdict on Thursday. The sentencing date has yet to be determined (The Associated Press).
The incident occurred in late July 2022 along the Apple River in St. Croix County, near the state line between Wisconsin and Minnesota. Seventeen-year-old Isaac Schuman, from Stillwater, Minnesota, was fatally stabbed while tubing with the other victims. Two men from Luck, Wisconsin, a woman from Burnsville, Minnesota, and a man from Elk River, Minnesota, were also injured during the attack (Minnesota Public Radio).
According to court documents, investigators stated that Miu attacked the group after allegedly being accused of approaching children in the water. Miu, who claimed self-defense, revealed to investigators that he was tubing with his wife and a few others. He explained that he was snorkeling and using goggles to search for a lost cellphone when bystanders accused him of behaving inappropriately toward juveniles. Witnesses reported that Miu became engaged in a fight after punching a woman. In video footage, Miu can be seen falling into the river, resurfacing with a knife, and subsequently stabbing someone. Prosecutors argued that Miu had opportunities to deescalate the situation or walk away but failed to do so (The Associated Press).
Defense attorney Aaron Nelson expressed surprise and disappointment with the verdict and stated that Miu was saddened and contemplating his future. The victim, Isaac Schuman, was about to enter his senior year at Stillwater High School, where he was an honor roll student and intending to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at various universities. Schuman’s family described him as a bright young man with a promising future (Minnesota Public Radio).
As the case continues, the community mourns the loss of an aspiring student and wrestles with the aftermath of this tragic incident. The verdict brings some measure of justice for the victims and their families, but the impact will continue to be felt by those involved in the incident and the wider community (The Associated Press).