Pennington County (trfnews.i234.me) – TRF News has learned of a disorderly conduct citation issued following an incident at King Tobacco in Greenwood Crossing, Thief River Falls. The case involves 21-year-old Afton Michael Benoit.
According to the police report, officers were called on September 3 at 3:50 p.m. for a disturbance at the business. The citation alleges Benoit “shoulder-checked” another man, pushing him into a railing inside the store and nearly sending him over it. Benoit also reportedly called the man a derogatory name during the confrontation.
The victim told police the incident stemmed from a personal dispute, claiming it was connected to his past interactions with Benoit’s girlfriend. Police obtained surveillance footage from the store, which appeared to support the victim’s account of events. However, the video did not contain audio, so verbal exchanges were not recorded.
Benoit was cited for disorderly conduct and released. No further criminal charges were reported at the time of the incident. The case will be reviewed in Pennington County District Court.
Authorities remind the public that disorderly conduct citations can result from physical or verbal confrontations in public places. For more on Minnesota disorderly conduct laws, visit the Minnesota Statutes on Disorderly Conduct page.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
