Burnsville law enforcement has successfully apprehended Dashawn Jawaun Newton, aged 23, in connection with the New Year's Day assault of a senior woman in Crystal Lake Park, an incident that was followed by swift investigative work, as detailed in a press release from the Burnsville Police Department. Newton, who is now charged with felonious acts of threats of violence and false imprisonment, is additionally linked to various accounts of public indecency in nearby locales.
After diligent efforts by Burnsville Police, aided by contributions from the community, including surveillance videos, Newton's whereabouts on the day of the crime could be pieced together, a feat that led to his arrest in under a week; Chief Tanya Schwartz expressed staunch gratitude for this partnership: "Today we've taken a violent offender off the streets due to the tenacious work of our police officers, detectives, and crime analysts who worked tirelessly since this was reported early on New Year’s Day to stop this perpetrator," a Burnsville Police Department statement reported. However, Schwartz added, "public safety is a shared responsibility of everyone here in Burnsville. When everyone works together, we’re all better off," underscoring the cooperative nature of law enforcement and community working in tandem.
The assault, which occurred in the vicinity of Crystal Lake West, left a 74-year-old resident traumatized but able to provide significant details. Testimony helped to expedite Newton's capture. Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena, who filed the charges against Newton, was represented by the tenets of the criminal justice system—justice for the victim, protection of the public, and the prosecution of the wrongdoer.
In her official remarks, Chief Schwartz praised her team's dedication, noting, "Our team spent hundreds of hours literally piecing this case together and I commend them for their incredible efforts," the Burnsville Police Department statement shared. Highlighting the importance of community engagement during such critical investigations, the combined efforts of residents, business owners, and local media were deemed essential for building an impenetrable case that resulted in the timely apprehension of Newton, offering a measure of comfort to the victim and reasserting the communal fabric of public safety in Burnsville.
