A man fishing from his kayak on Fish Lake in Fredenberg Township was rushed to a hospital in Duluth Monday night after an arrow-like object impaled his foot and lodged in the hull of his boat. St. Louis County Sheriff's Office deputies and other first responders were called to the Fish Lake boat landing around 9:48 p.m. after the object struck him, and the people believed responsible for launching fireworks toward him had already fled the area in a vehicle by the time deputies arrived.
The injured kayaker was identified as Minnesota angler Cory Hendrickson, according to Wired2Fish, who said he was walleye fishing at night while wearing a red headlamp when fireworks were set off from shore in his direction moments before the projectile struck him. As reported by Bring Me The News, authorities say a group reportedly came closer to the kayaker as the fireworks continued, and several people shot off fireworks in his direction, per authorities. Hendrickson told broadcasters he believed the projectile was aimed at him intentionally after spotting people on shore.
A Rescue That Required Cutting the Shaft in Two Places
Because the object had pierced Hendrickson's foot and passed through into the kayak floor, emergency personnel had to cut the shaft in two places — above his foot and beneath the kayak — just to free him from the craft, according to Fox 21 News. First responders reportedly told Hendrickson to stay still on the water until rescue crews could safely extract him without worsening the injury. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, though the ordeal left him shaken.
Not every account of the object matches. Bring Me The News reported that, per law enforcement's initial version of events, a piece of firework debris hit the kayaker's foot and became lodged in the kayak. But Hendrickson's own description, along with local broadcast reporting from Fox 21 News, describes something more like an arrow or arrow-like projectile piercing his foot and the kayak floor. As We Got This Covered notes, investigators are still analyzing physical evidence gathered at the scene to try to confirm the projectile's precise origin, and the story's details may change as the investigation continues.
Where It Happened, and Why Kayakers Are Out After Dark
Fish Lake Reservoir is a 3,526-acre impoundment of the Beaver River in St. Louis County, roughly 20 miles northwest of Duluth, spreading across Fredenberg, Canosia, and Grand Lake townships, according to onWater Fish. The reservoir's public access points are managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Power. Shallow littoral zones cover more than 75 percent of the lake's surface, making it one of the region's most popular evening walleye fisheries for small paddlecraft and kayaks — the same conditions that put low-profile boats like Hendrickson's on dark water near a public landing where shore-based activity was underway.
What Minnesota Law Says About Fireworks Like These
Under Minnesota Statutes § 624.20, aerial and explosive fireworks — including Roman candles, bottle rockets, mortars, and firecrackers — are illegal for private possession and use without a state-issued display permit, according to CBS News. Legal consumer pyrotechnics in the state are limited to ground-based, non-explosive items like sparklers and fountains. Minnesota law separately bars discharging any consumer fireworks on public property, including boat launches and state waterways, with violations carrying misdemeanor penalties; the City of Eden Prairie notes that reckless conduct causing bodily harm can lead to more serious charges.
Nationally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates fireworks cause about 9,700 emergency room-treated injuries a year, with hands and feet among the most commonly hurt body parts, per the City of Eden Prairie. The commission attributes many nighttime pyrotechnic injuries to improper aiming, reckless handling, and spectators standing too close.
Investigators Still Seeking Witnesses
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who saw suspicious people or vehicles near the Fish Lake Dam Road boat landing to call investigators at 218-336-4350. As of mid-August, authorities had not publicly identified any suspects or released a vehicle description. Whether the case ultimately leads to reckless endangerment charges, an assault charge, or something else remains an open question that depends on what investigators find as they work to reconcile the conflicting accounts of what actually struck Hendrickson's foot that night.
