Crow Wing County authorities issued an Amber Alert early Friday after a woman and her four children were abducted at gunpoint from a home northeast of Brainerd.

They were urgently seeking information on the whereabouts of 33-year-old Nikkole Dobson and her children: Brandon, 14; Haley, 11; Gracie, 7; and Chloe, 3.

Deputies say Dobson’s boyfriend, 35-year-old Chad Aanerud, arrived at the home on the 15000 block of Loerch Road around 1:50 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Aanerud allegedly fired a rifle round into the ceiling of the residence before forcing Dobson and the children into his vehicle, a white 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan. He was described as 6’2”, 185 lbs., with brown hair and hazel eyes.

In addition to the abduction, Aanerud was wanted in connection to the fatal shooting of a 62-year-old man at a separate residence nearby and the burning of a home on that property, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The shooting victim was identified as Lyle Maske, of Brainerd. His possible relation to Aanerud or Dobson has not yet been confirmed but the sheriff’s office says the two incidents are believed to be related.

After a multi-county manhunt ensued in the early morning hours and an AMBER Alert message rang the mobile phones of Minnesotans shortly before 6:40 a.m., Annerud was eventually taken into custody without incident around 7:15 a.m. during a traffic stop in nearby Morrison County. Deputies and a State Trooper located Dobson and her four children inside the car and they were physically unharmed, the sheriff’s office said.

A “very astute” Morrison County resident spotted the Chrysler Pacifica and alerted authorities after receiving the AMBER Alert, Sheriff Eric Klang said. The specific location of Aanerud’s arrest has not yet been confirmed.

Formal charges against Annerud have not yet been filed as of early Friday afternoon and more information on the series of incidents is expected within the coming days.

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