Ronan man stabbed

A truck driver from Ronan was brutally stabbed with a knife at a rest area in Moorhead, Minn., on Sunday afternoon.

According to Lt. Joel Scharf of the Moorhead Police Department, the felony assault took place at 1:37 p.m. when a witness saw a man stabbing 51-year-old Dale Morigeau repeatedly with a knife. The police report stated that the witness secured themselves into another room at the Interstate 94 Moorhead Rest Area and Travel Information Center to make the 911 call.

Two police officers in the immediate area responded to the scene quickly, arriving while the assault was still in progress. After repeated verbal commands, the suspect reportedly dropped the knife, but officers reportedly still had to subdue the man with a taser.

Authorities said the Ronan victim was transported to Innovis Hospital where he was in surgery with multiple stab wounds. No additional medical information on Morigeau’s condition was made available before press time.

The 32-year-old Canadian suspect from Chestermere, Alberta, Harmit Bhangu, is currently in custody at the Clay County Jail. Charges of second degree attempted homicide are pending, and second and fourth degree assault against a police officer were strongly requested in a long form complaint to the Clay County Attorney’s Office on Monday.

According to MPD Public Information Officer Lt. Tory Jacobson, the additional charges requested against Bhangu came from an incident where the accused reportedly assaulted a detective subsequent to being taken into custody and initially treated for his injuries.

Jacobson added that during an interview with the detective, Bhangu unexpectedly struck the detective in the head with a cast that had been put on his hand hours earlier. The assailant continued to be uncooperative and violent and was ultimately subdued with a taser again.

The injured detective was treated by medical staff and has returned to duty.

The investigation into this incident is being conducted by the Moorhead Police Investigative Division. The Moorhead Rest Area was closed until approximately 10 p.m. on Sunday.