Kirk Lee Bigby
At approximately 12:12 a.m. on December 9, Cook County Law Enforcement received a report of shots fired at Bluefin Bay Resort in Tofte. Upon arrival, a Cook County Sheriff ’s Office deputy observed an unresponsive male on the ground outside of the Bluefin Grille. The man who was shot and killed was Marcus Lee Roberts, 35, of Bloomington, Minnesota.
According to the preliminary report, several people stepped outside at the annual employee holiday party at the resort’s restaurant. At some point, the suspect, Kirk Lee Bigby, 61, of Finland Minnesota, came into physical contact with the victim, who was at the party in conjunction with a casino gaming service that had been hired for the staff party. The suspect allegedly produced a handgun and shot the victim.
Witnesses identified Bigby as the shooter. Investigators located Bigby in a resort guest room and took him into custody. A .45 caliber firearm was also located in the room.
During the arrest, Bigby became uncooperative and suffered minor injuries. He was transported to North Shore Hospital and was treated and released back into law enforcement custody. No other individuals were injured during the incident.
Bluefin Bay Resorts Owner Dennis Rysdahl said, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by this incident. First and foremost, our hearts go out to the victim’s family.”
Regarding Bigby, Rysdahl said, “Kirk Bigby has been an employee of Bluefin Bay for over seven years. Kirk delivers firewood to the wood boxes outside our guest rooms. Everyone at Bluefin Bay is incredulous about this, as Kirk is well liked among our staff and has never been known to say an angry word or get into conflict with anyone. The investigating authorities are looking into the exact circumstances that led to the shooting, and we are cooperating fully.”
Rysdahl noted that the Bluefin Bay holiday party is a long tradition and the resort takes great precautions that it is safe for everyone, requiring that employees relinquish their car keys (so no one drinks and drives) and receives a complementary room for the night.
Rysdahl added, “We have never had a shooting or any violent crime in Tofte in my 32 years here at Bluefin Bay. We love our small, safe community and it is so hard for us to understand how this could happen.”
Rysdahl said the Bluefin Bay employee manual expressly forbids possession of firearms on the property, the violation of which is cause for immediate dismissal.
Bigby has been booked into the Cook County Jail on the charge of 2nd degree murder. His arraignment was scheduled for December 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the Cook County courthouse.
The Sheriff ’s Office continues its investigation with assistance from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
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