Thief River Falls Teen Charged Over Snapchat Gun Threat

Thief River Falls Teen Charged Over Snapchat Gun Threat
Thief River Falls Teen Charged Over Snapchat Gun Threat

Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — Pennington County prosecutors filed a felony complaint against Elijah Lee Louis Belgarde.

Court records say the case stems from Snapchat messages sent on November 30, 2025. The alleged target is a Thief River Falls teen. A second teen also gave a statement, according to the complaint.

What the complaint alleges

The complaint says a Thief River Falls teen reported receiving short videos on Snapchat. She said the videos showed Belgarde holding what looked like a black handgun. Records say Thief River Falls teen then received a message that threatened to shoot her.

Elijah Lee Louis Belgarde mugshot
Elijah Lee Louis Belgarde. Court records show a felony complaint was filed in Pennington County.

The Thief River Falls teen told investigators she feared for her safety. She also feared for others at the home where she was staying, according to the records. Court documents say the teens thought the threat could be real.

Officers went to a home on 4th Street West in Thief River Falls, the complaint says. They made contact with Belgarde inside the residence, according to the records. The complaint says Belgarde told officers the gun was a CO2 BB pistol.

Records describe it as a Glock 19-style BB pistol, black in color. Police seized the pistol as evidence, according to the filing. Court documents say the Thief River Falls teen and her friend identified the pistol as the one shown.

The charge

Belgarde is charged with felony terroristic threats. The charge is listed under Minnesota Statute 609.713. The maximum penalty listed is five years in prison. The filing also lists a $10,000 fine.

Case status

Belgarde was arrested and booked into the Pennington County Jail, records say. The case is filed in the Minnesota District Court in Pennington County. The court file number listed is 57-CR-25-820. The prosecutor’s file number listed is 25-600-107.

For public court records, see the Minnesota Judicial Branch public access site. For safety reporting tools, visit the Snapchat Safety Center.

As with all criminal cases, the charge is an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.

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