Machete-wielding men threaten Duluth bar patrons, police chase follows

Two men returned to the Round Up Bar with machetes after being ejected for aggressive behavior, then stood in the doorway and threatened patrons inside before Duluth police chased down one suspect. Court documents identify Nicholas Joseph Ammesmaki, 31, of Duluth, as one of the men and tie the confrontation to the bar in St. Louis County on June 15, 2026.

A bartender told police the men had become intoxicated and aggressive before he cut them off and removed them at about 3:40 p.m. After leaving, they came back armed, and a patron later told officers the men were shouting racial slurs during the confrontation. One witness said Ammesmaki wore a black T-shirt and carried a shorter machete, while the other suspect wore a white T-shirt and held a longer blade.

The complaint says Ammesmaki is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and fleeing a peace officer by a means other than a motor vehicle. When officers arrived, patrons pointed out the men as they were leaving. Ammesmaki ran eastbound on foot, and officers chased him down and took him into custody.

Police later recovered two machetes tied to the incident. One blade measured about 10 to 12 inches, while the other was about 23 to 24 inches long and was found near a black Dodge Ram pickup truck.

The charges were filed Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in St. Louis County District Court, putting the case on the public docket as Duluth continues to grapple with violence in its bar district. Duluth police have said they maintain an active presence there to help protect public safety after other downtown bar-fight incidents, a reminder to bar owners and nearby patrons that a routine ejection can turn into an armed confrontation in seconds.