Update: Cloquet woman wanted in Superior shooting surrenders at jail

A Cloquet woman accused of setting up the victim of a Sept. 1 shooting in Superior is in custody after surrendering at the Douglas County Jail early Friday morning.

An arrest warrant for 18-year-old Sage Nigitchigamikwe Ross was filed Wednesday in Douglas County circuit Court, the same day she was formally charged with one felony count of armed robbery-party to a crime stemming from a shooting incident that took place at 1627 1/2 Tower Ave. She is expected to make her initial court appearance today.

According to the criminal complaint:

The victim had just arrived home to his apartment and was talking on his cell phone to Ross, who was his girlfriend. As the victim approached his apartment door, an unknown black male wearing a face mask popped out from the landing with a handgun, demanding the victim’s necklace.

The gunman tried to force the victim into the apartment after grabbing the necklace, but the victim pulled away and fell into a window behind him and a shot was fired.

The victim was injured on the upper left side of his chest. He stumbled down the stairs and was helped into a downstairs apartment by a neighbor. During the incident, the victim dropped his cell phone. A number of other items had been stolen from his apartment, including a TV, laptop computer and Sony Playstation III.

Based on tips received from members of the public and the victim’s family, a possible robbery suspect was identified. The victim’s cell phone was not recovered and Ross failed to contact the victim in the days following the incident. Superior Police officers pulled the records for Ross’ cell phone.

The records showed a number of text messages were shot back and forth between Ross’ phone and the suspect’s phone about an hour prior to the attack.

“Where you at girlfriend,” the suspect texted at 12:06 that day. “At dude house,” came a text from Ross. “He there,” the suspect texted. “Yea,” texted Ross. “Y’all alone,” the suspect texted. “Yea,” Ross texted. “Let’s do it now like in 15 mins,” the suspect texted at 12:11.

Four minutes later, a text from Ross states “He leavin.” The suspect texted back, asking if she’s saying and she replied, “Yea.” A few minutes later, Ross texts to the suspect, “You need to catch him while he walkin in the door when he cum bck n ill keep the door unlocked so u can rush him in!”

“Call when he leave,” the suspect texted back at 12:18.

At 12:40, about half an hour before the shooting was reported, Ross texted the suspect, “Im going to walgrens i need tampons.”

The victim of the robbery and shooting told Superior Police detectives that he believed Ross was inside his apartment during the attack and that she picked up his phone from the stairs after the shooting. He said he believes she set him up.

Texts were also sent between Ross and the suspect after the incident.

If Ross is convicted, the class C felony carries a maximum penalty of up to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000.

Tags: news, crime, cloquet, superior, police