A 54-year-old man from Minnesota, Nicolae Miu, has been found guilty of multiple criminal charges, including first-degree reckless homicide, in the 2022 Apple River stabbings in Wisconsin. The verdict was delivered in court on Thursday after an eight-day trial that saw more than three dozen witnesses take the stand. Miu was originally charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree intentional attempted homicide, but was ultimately convicted on lesser, yet still serious, charges of reckless endangerment and battery.

The incident occurred on July 30, 2022, when Miu, who was tubing on the river with his wife and friends, got into an altercation with a group of people accusing him of approaching children in the water. The situation escalated, leading to Miu fatally stabbing 17-year-old Isaac Schuman and injuring four others, ranging in age from 17 to 24, from Wisconsin and Minnesota.

During the trial, the prosecution argued that Miu was the aggressor, while Miu's defense attorney, Aaron Nelson, claimed he acted in self-defense. Witnesses testified, including Schuman's mother and the other stabbing victims, as well as law enforcement and Miu himself. The jury saw cellphone video of the confrontation, body camera footage of the law enforcement response, and a recording of Miu's initial interview with authorities.

Following the verdict, Donny Hernandez, the father of Isaac Schuman, expressed relief, stating, "It's been 21 months we've been waiting for justice for Isaac Michael Schuman, and we got it today." Miu's sentencing date has not been set, but he could face up to 97 years in prison, according to Prosecutor Karl Anderson. Miu's defense attorney, Aaron Nelson, said he was surprised and disappointed by the verdict, noting that Miu faces "substantial, life-changing penalties." Miu's bond was revoked after the guilty verdicts were delivered. This is a developing story, stay tuned for updates.