Brian Donovan White, Jr.

A Bemidji man is facing charges of aggravated robbery for his alleged involvement in the recent armed robbery of a convenience store just north of Bemidji.

18-year-old Brian Donovan White, Jr. was charged Wednesday, December 18 on one count of first-degree aggravated robbery, one count of third-degree burglary, one count of motor vehicle and one count of fleeing an officer by means other than a vehicle.

According to a criminal complaint from the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office, sheriff deputies responded to the report of a robbery at Lakes Market, located in the 13000 block of Irvine Avenue in Turtle Lake Township, about seven miles north of Bemidji.

A store employee informed deputies that two men ran into the store, and that one was armed with a shotgun, and demanded money. According to the clerk’s report, one of the men pointed a shotgun at her. The clerk gave the men all the loose cash from the register, and they fled in a white Honda Accord, according to the complaint. Sheriff’s deputies found the Accord, which Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office said was stolen from the 700 block of 33rd Street Northwest in Bemidji, in a ditch on Island View Drive in Beltrami County.

Sheriff deputies then followed the two sets of footprints to a home at 2392 Scorpio Lane. The complaint states that the footprints appeared to go into the garage. The homeowner was notified and reported that an older model Chevrolet Ventura was stolen from the garage. Other deputies were conducting an investigation where the white Honda had been abandoned. Deputies found a 12-gauge Beneli shotgun in the vehicle.

The criminal complaint said in the early morning hours of December 17, 2019, Bemidji Police Officers located the stolen Chevrolet Ventura van in the Ridgeway Apartment area in Bemidji. Officers saw a man, who was later identified as White, run from the vehicle.

The complaint states that White confessed to committing the armed robbery at Lakes Market with another man. White told authorities that Carlito Kingbird was driving the Honda Accord, drove to Lakes Market and committed the robbery with Kingbird pointing the 12-gauge shotgun at the clerk.

According to the complaint, White stated that Kingbird lost control of the vehicle on Island View Drive. He and Kingbird then abandoned the Honda Accord and broke into a garage on Scorpio Drive and stole the Chevrolet Ventura in order to escape. White and Kingbird then drove back to Bemidji, and Kingbird fled prior to law enforcement arriving, the criminal complaint said. White stated that he was still sitting in the van when officers arrived and he attempted to flee.

Law enforcement is still searching for the 19-year-old suspect, Carlito Kingbird. If you have information on Kingbird or his location, you should call the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office at (218) 333-9111, option 2.

By — Malaak Khattab

News Reporter