Frequent Customer Arrested In Fatal Stabbing Of Employee At Family Dollar In Brainerd

  • Friday, December 13, 2024
Patrick Bernard Cunningham
Patrick Bernard Cunningham

An arrest has been made in a fatal stabbing at the Family Dollar in Brainerd on Tuesday.

Patrick Bernard Cunningham, 33, of 103 S. Howell Ave., is charged with first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery.

In the incident just after 9 a.m., police responded to 5000 Brainerd Road on a report of a female employee stabbed. The employee was transported by EMS to the hospital in critical condition. She later died.

Police were told the suspect was a black male wearing a white shirt and gray jogging pants. He was seen running on foot toward a nearby liquor store.

An officer located a person matching the description 10 minutes after the initial call near the intersection of S. Howell and Sunbeam Avenue.

Police said Cunningham told the officer, "I did it." He said he had thrown the knife on top of the liquor store. The knife was recovered and it appeared to have blood on it.

Video showed a man go behind the cash register where there were three female employees. They tried to get away, but one fell to the floor. The man can be seen stabbing her at least three times.

The store manager, who was one of those behind the register, said the man entered the store saying, "Give me the money" and "Do you know who I am?"

She said the victim tripped over a basket on the floor.

The manager said the man tried to rob the business, but he could not get the cash register open.

She said Cunningham is a frequent customer at the store.

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