A Democratic senator from Minnesota who once served as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve has been arrested on suspicion of burglary.
Police were called to a home in the 700 block of Granger Road in Detroit Lakes early Monday morning and arrested Nicole Mitchell, 49, of Woodbury, Minnesota.
When authorities responded and searched the home, they found Mitchell inside and took her into custody. The house was that of her late father and where her stepmother still lives.
The Becker County Prosecutor’s Office is now reviewing the report before determining whether to charge Mitchell, who is a first-term Democrat who was elected to a four-year term in 2022.
Before becoming a senator, Mitchell had a distinguished career in the military and worked as a TV meteorologist, including years for the Weather Channel. Her political career focused on veterans and climate issues.
Nicole Mitchell, 49, Minnesota state senator and former Air Force lieutenant colonel, was arrested for suspected burglary in Detroit Lakes
Colleagues were shocked, pointing to her work in the Senate on veterans and climate policy — along with her previous career in military and TV meteorology
The Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel was an aerial reconnaissance weather officer with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
A spokesperson for the Minnesota Senate Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party said in a statement that the party was “aware of the situation and has no comment pending further information.”
“Knowing very few details at this time, I am shocked by the news of Senator Nicole Mitchell’s arrest for first-degree burglary. The public expects legislators to meet a high standard of conduct. As more information emerges, we expect to see consequences for its actions both in court and in its role in the Legislature,” the chamber’s Republican leader, Mark Johnson, said in a separate statement.
Currently, Democrats hold just a one-seat majority (34-33) in the 67-member Minnesota Senate as the Legislature now enters the final month of the 2024 session.
She currently represents the 47th District and 85,000 residents. Her district includes the town of Woodbury, outside St. Paul.
During her time in the Senate, Mitchell has worked on policies related to veterans, child protection and climate change.
She also helped introduce a bill calling for criminal penalties for those who fail to meet safe firearms storage standards, while also co-authoring a bill proposing to move incarcerated people in the state from prisons to their last reported address.
Lt. Col. Mitchell was particularly telegenic and often performed pieces on camera when necessary on behalf of the Army
Mitchell would fly the WC-130J Super Hercules through the eye of active hurricanes to collect weather data using aircraft – known as a team called ‘Hurricane Hunters’
Mitchell had been a weather forecaster since the early 2000s
Mitchell was born in Fargo and raised in Minnesota, with her family moving to Woodbury in 1986, according to her official biography
On her campaign page, Mitchell noted that for an end-of-session party in 2023, she planned to hold a fundraiser to continue working on “reproductive rights, climate change, voting rights, gun safety, trans rights and addressing hunger in Minnesota.” ‘
Mitchell was born in Fargo and raised in Minnesota, with her family moving to Woodbury in 1986, according to her official biography.
She was editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper and was voted Woodbury Days Princess.
“She also grew up with a love of the outdoors, often accompanying her father fishing and her stepfather hiking and camping in various beautiful locations in Minnesota. Even after camping and hiking in various locations around the world as an adult, the Boundary Waters and North Shore are still favorite locations of hers for hiking or camping,” her campaign site reads.
She joined the Army after high school and worked for the Air National Guard as a weather observer and then a forecaster.
During her time in the military, she served as a meteorologist for the Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters,” which fly planes into storms to gather details before they hit America.
She flew in Hurricanes Charley, Katrina, Wilma and Harvey.
“As a respected communicator, military member and scholar, Nicole is often personally sought out for speaking engagements and involvement in the military community,” her biography reads.
She currently represents the 47th District and 85,000 residents. Her district includes the town of Woodbury, outside St. Paul
She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and worked as an assignment manager for a TV station in Duluth. Later she started doing TV again
The Air Force vet moved back to Minnesota in 2016 to raise her family (her son is now five) and worked as a TV and radio meteorologist before running for office
Mitchell obtained her foster care license in 2018 and cared for six children in full-time care, including three with special needs
She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and worked as an assignment manager for a TV station in Duluth. Later she started doing TV again.
Mitchell worked as a TV meteorologist in Rapid City, South Dakota, South Bend, Indiana and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
She then moved to Weather Channel before joining Al-Jazeera America and CBS. While working at Weather Channel, she received her law degree from Georgia State University.
The Air Force vet moved back to Minnesota in 2016 to raise her family (her son is now five) and worked as a TV and radio meteorologist before running for office.
Mitchell obtained her foster care license in 2018 and cared for six children in full-time care, including three with special needs.
“In her spare time, Nicole has always believed strongly in a commitment to community service and volunteerism,” her bio notes. “The outreach she has done previously includes volunteering at a battered women’s shelter, with children at a homeless shelter, as a Big Sister for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children .’
