Local News
No Survivors in Brooklyn Park Plane Crash, Residents Inside Home Unharmed
BROOKLYN PARK, MN – A small aircraft crashed in Brooklyn Park on Saturday afternoon, leaving no survivors, according to officials.
The incident occurred near the intersection of 109th Avenue North and Noble Parkway at approximately 12:20 p.m., as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
FAA officials identified the aircraft as a SOCATA TBM7, a single-engine business aircraft.
It had departed from Des Moines International Airport in Iowa and was en route to Anoka County–Blaine Airport in Minneapolis when it went down.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find a residential home on fire due to the impact.
Firefighters worked swiftly to extinguish the flames and evacuate nearby residents.
Authorities have confirmed that no one inside the home sustained injuries.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the crash, with the NTSB taking the lead.
Officials at the scene have not yet provided details on the number of occupants aboard the aircraft or the possible cause of the crash.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz acknowledged the tragic incident, stating that his administration is closely monitoring the situation.
“My team is in touch with local officials on the scene in Brooklyn Park, and we are monitoring the situation closely,” Walz wrote on X. “Grateful to the first responders answering the call.”
Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation progresses.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coroner’s Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguez’s death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.