Teen killed and four critical after being stabbed while tubing as suspect ‘escaped by floating down Apple River’

A TEENAGER is dead and four people are left critically injured after being stabbed while tubing as the suspect escaped "by floating down the Apple River."

The incident occurred in Somerset, Wisconsin, though it is unclear was caused it

Sheriff Scott Knudson of the St Croix County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The Sun the deceased was a 17-year-old from Stillwater, Minnesota.

The other victims were a 20-year-old male, a 24-year-old female and two other men, aged 22.

Two of the victims were from Luck, Wisconsin and the others were from Minnesota.

All victims are in stable condition.

According to Knudson, the suspect initially fled the scene but is now in custody.

Officials said it is too early to tell in the incident was random.

Knudson said the suspect was a 52-year-old man also from Minnesota.

The suspect was also tubing with his own group at the time of the incident, he said.

"We believe he continued down on the river," said Knudson. "But we did locate him with his group of tubers at the exit point of the river."

It is believed the suspect tried to flee the scene by tubing down the river.

"We believe he floated away."

Police are asking people to avoid the area as they continue their investigation.

"We're actually in the process of trying to divert some of the tubing traffic around our crime scene," said Knudson.

"That alone is causing some challenges trying to get them off the river, and gathering up what we can in a hard-to-get-to area."