$1M bond ordered for suspect in fatal Apple River stabbing incident

A Minnesota man is being held on a $1 million cash bond, charged with stabbing a teenager to death and grievously wounding four others while tubing along the Apple River in St. Croix County.

Nicolae Miu, 52, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, was arrested on Saturday after witnesses pointed him out to St. Croix County Sheriff’s deputies responding to reports that multiple people had been stabbed along the river in the Town of Somerset.

According to statements in from Miu and his wife outlined in a criminal complaint, Miu was using goggles and a snorkel to search for a missing cell phone when he got into a confrontation with a group of teenagers and young adults who were calling him a pedophile.

Investigators reviewed videos of the altercation that show Miu grabbed the tubes of the group. He was confronted by young women and others who were telling him to get away. As the situation escalated, Miu was seen holding a knife at his side before multiple individuals converged on him.

At one point, he fell into the water and stabbed an individual who appeared to shove Miu as he tried to get up out of the water, investigators said. Video also shows a young woman moving away from Miu holding her left side.

Miu made stabbing motions toward other men who touched his back and neck during the fight. As he moved away, investigators noted the video showed blood on the knife and on his hand.

The complaint states that another video, recorded after the stabbings, shows people running from Miu’s location. He then bent over an individual laying in the river and appeared to hold that person out of the water by their right arm.

During an interview, Miu told investigators he was acting in self-defense and said he feared for his life. He claimed two individuals in the group of young tubers had knives and that he wrestled one away from them.

He said he didn’t tell any members of his group what happened.

But other witnesses claimed the entire incident started after Miu punched a young woman in the face.

A 17-year-old from Stillwater Minnesota died as a result of the violence on Saturday. Four other individuals in their 20s sustained stab wounds ranging from serious to critical. As of Sunday, they were listed in stable condition.

Miu was charged Monday with one count of intentional first-degree homicide and four counts of attempted first-degree homicide.

During an initial appearance in St. Croix County Circuit Court, Judge Michael Waterman commented on the seriousness of the charges and the situation before ordering Miu be held on a $1 million cash bond.

“We’re dealing with first-degree intentional homicide (which) carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. We have five victims; one of them is deceased,” Waterman said.

Family members identified the dead teenager as Isaac Schuman. A statement from the family said Schuman was looking forward to starting his senior year at the Stillwater High School and preparing to apply to college in pursuit of an electrical engineering degree.

“He had an incredibly bright future ahead of him and we are all heartbroken and devastated beyond words that his future has been tragically and senselessly cut short,” said the statement. “We very much appreciate the overwhelming outpouring of love and support from our friends, Isaac’s friends and the Stillwater Community.”

An online fundraiser has been organized to support Schuman’s family.