A 26-year-old Duluth woman is facing felony burglary and misdemeanor assault charges after police say she forced her way through an apartment window on West Third Street and struck a woman holding a one-year-old child, injuring them both. Duluth police responded to the 2000 block of West Third Street around 2:30 a.m. on September 15 after the alleged break-in and assault, according to charges against Zykena Caprice McCurtis.
Prosecutors filed the criminal complaint against McCurtis in St. Louis County District Court, charging her with felony first-degree burglary and misdemeanor fifth-degree assault, according to MN Crime. The case stems from an argument that reportedly began over the phone, when a resident and McCurtis got into a dispute and the resident then blocked her number, per the complaint. McCurtis allegedly showed up at the apartment and banged on the door before turning her attention to a window.
Window Screen Pushed Out, Then a Struggle
According to the resident's statement cited in the complaint, McCurtis entered the apartment without permission by forcing open a window and pushing out the screen. Once inside, she allegedly attacked a woman who was holding a one-year-old child, pulling the woman's hair hard enough to tear away a sewn-in hair extension from her scalp and striking her in the face, the complaint states.
Police who responded to the scene documented cuts near the woman's left temple and ear. Officers also observed a fresh, swollen bruise on the toddler's face, according to the charges, which allege McCurtis struck the child during the altercation. Both the woman and the toddler were injured in the encounter, per the complaint.
What McCurtis Is Facing Under Minnesota Law
First-degree burglary in Minnesota requires entry into a building without consent with intent to commit a crime, or commission of a crime inside, along with a qualifying circumstance. An occupied dwelling or an assault inside can satisfy that circumstance. The offense carries a statutory maximum of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of as much as $35,000 under Minnesota Statute § 609.582, Subdivision 1. A conviction under Subdivision 1, clause (a), for burglary of an occupied dwelling, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of at least six months of incarceration under Subdivision 1a of that same statute.
McCurtis also faces a misdemeanor fifth-degree assault charge.
Other Duluth Police News
CBS News reported a fatal shooting on the 200 block of West Third Street in October 2025, according to CBS News. The Duluth Police Department, which responded to this case, had a 2025 operating budget of $29,258,000.
A June 2022 profile by MIX 108 featured McCurtis supporting a West Duluth pop-up restaurant tied to a community food program for young adults; she said she liked the restaurant because its food reminded her of food available in North Minneapolis.
A Separate Duluth Case
In late August, prosecutors charged a 26-year-old woman with burglary and assault following a confrontation at a local boarding house, as Hoodline previously reported. McCurtis's case was filed in St. Louis County District Court; details on her bail amount, legal representation, and initial court appearance had not been released as of this reporting. The charges against McCurtis are allegations.
