Crime & Safety

Minnetonka Police Close Carlson Case, Fireworks not Gunfire

On Monday, Minnetonka Police responded to a call reporting gunfire at the home of Curtis Carlson Nelson. Today Police say they have closed the case and no charges will be filed.

At 4:30 p.m. on Monday, responded to a call reporting possible shots fired inside the home of onetime Carlson heir, Curtis Carlson Nelson, 47. 

But on Wednesday, Minnetonka Police Chief Mark Raquet told Minnetonka Patch it was the sound of fireworks, not of gunfire, which prompted neighbors to call police.

“We do believe the sounds heard were fireworks and not gunshots. We did not find any evidence to say conclusively that shots were fired. We did find the remains of fireworks both inside and outside the home,” Raquet said. The case is now officially closed and no criminal charges will be filed. 

Find out what's happening in Minnetonkawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Minnetonka Police said they were able to establish phone contact with the homeowner upon arriving on the scene Monday, and that the homeowner eventually turned himself over to officers-- without incident. The Minnetonka neighborhood where the incident occurred, only a quarter-mile from the Carlson Towers, was cordoned off during the standoff.

Minnetonka Police still have not publicly identified the man involved in the incident, but according to Hennepin County tax records, the home where the incident occurred is owned by Curtis Carlson Nelson. He had long been expected to succeed his mother, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, as CEO of Carlson but was instead fired by the company in 2007.  

Find out what's happening in Minnetonkawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Raquet has also confirmed to Minnetonka Patch that the adult male taken into custody was the only person home when police arrived on the scene and that the man was admitted to a local hospital shortly thereafter.  However, Raquet declined to comment further on the man’s medical condition.

Curtis Carlson Nelson is the grandson of Carlson founder, Curt Carlson.  Carlson is one of the largest family-held corporations in the country, taking-in tens of billions of dollars a year and employing about 150,000 people worldwide. 

According to numerous reports, Curtis Carlson Nelson has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. He has also faced financial trouble in recent months due to alleged financial misconduct in dealings with Edina-based Crown Bank. Curtis Carlson Nelson’s home on Linner Road is currently on the market for $5.4 million. 


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