A man with a checkered past was spotted Monday in Quetico Provincial Park – walking on shore without canoe or even shoes. The strange circumstances have led local authorities to close parts of the park near the Boundary Waters to the public while a search is performed.
Aaron N. King was spotted by canoeists near Bent and Crooked Lakes on July 24, and the paddlers reported to authorities that he might be in need of help. King had been living in Ely previously, and appears to be traveling on foot through the border region.
While King is not thought to be a danger, authorities are interested in finding him.
“We just want to get a bead on him so we can talk to him and see if he has the resources to support himself,” Sgt. Matt LeBlanc of the Atikokan office of the Ontario Provincial Police told the Duluth News Tribune. “He’s been described as an extreme survivalist, but he doesn’t appear to have any means of transportation or shelter.”
The News Tribune reported that the Ontario Police have now called off their search, but rangers from the park are still looking.
King had been checked on by the Ely police earlier this summer. He has previous criminal charges in Florida, and is reportedly from Oregon originally.
King is caucasian, 5-foot-10-inches tall, weighing 160 pounds with light-brown hair and a scruffy beard. He is believed to be wearing a green long-sleeve shirt and olive-colored pants. Anyone who sees the man is asked to note the time and contact the Ontario Provincial Police at (807) 683-4200 or, on the U.S. side of the border, 911, or contact a Quetico park staff person.