Man sparks frantic search after kidnapping girlfriend and four kids at gunpoint

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A man accused of abducting his pregnant girlfriend and her four children at gunpoint in central Minnesota early on Friday morning has been taken into custody, authorities said.

Chad Aanerud, 35, was taken into police custody on Friday morning, more than seven hours after allegedly kidnapping his girlfriend, 33-year-old Nikkole Dobson, and her four children, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension posted on X. The mother and children were found “safe” and authorities canceled the Amber alert that had been in effect since 2am.

“The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office has cancelled the AMBER Alert. Chad Aanerud has been taken into custody in Morrison County. The abducted mother and children have been located and are safe,” the agency said.

It’s not immediately clear where the group was found and what charges Aanerud faces.

“We got some victims, some young kids that were traumatized as well. So we’re trying to help with giving them the right care as well right away,” Crow Wing County Sheriff Erik Klang told the Minnesota Star Tribune.

The Independent has reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information.

At around 1.50am, Aanerud arrived at a home in Brainerd, Minnesota where Dobson and her children were staying, fired a rifle round into the ceiling, and “forced Dobson and her children to leave with him,” authorities previously said.

Police believed Aanerud was driving a white 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan with a Minnesota license plate AEC 351.

Her children are Brandon, 14, Haley, 11, Gracie, 7, and Chloe, 3.

Aanerud is also suspected of “fatally shooting a man” at a nearby residence and burning down a home on that property.

The victim was identified as Lyle Maske, 62, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. It’s unclear if the men knew one another.

Court records show that the 35-year-old already faces other criminal counts, including threats of violence.

This charge stemmed from a July despute when Aanerud’s mother and stepfather claimed he grabbed a knife and threatened to slit their throats after an argument. Then, Aanerud allegedly told the couple was going to “go do meth again” before kicking a door in and leaving, according to documents seen by the outlet.