safety
Maple Grove fire chief resigns after being charged with sexual assault of teen
Summary by The Minneapolis Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Josh Skluzacek , KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC)
· July 20, 2026
· 2 min read
Maple Grove is looking for a new fire chief after charges brought by prosecutors prompted the current chief to resign. The city confirmed that Maddison Zikmund resigned from his post on July 16. Zikmund was charged a week earlier with third-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly sexually ab...
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Minneapolis Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Original reporting Josh Skluzacek, KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 20, 2026 Indexed here Jul 21, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
Every story comes with a passport. How we work · Corrections log
Key takeaway The city confirmed that Maddison Zikmund resigned from his post on July 16.
Why this matters in The Minneapolis
The resignation of Maple Grove's fire chief amid sexual assault charges raises concerns about the vetting and oversight of leaders in local public safety roles. As the city moves to replace Maddison Zikmund, the recruitment process will be closely watched to ensure that the next fire chief prioritizes the safety and well-being of both department personnel and the community, particularly vulnerable populations like youth participating in fire explorer programs. The fact that the alleged abuse occurred in a program designed to mentor and educate young people about firefighting makes the charges especially troubling. The city council's approval of a recruiting campaign to fill the vacancy is a crucial step in restoring trust in the fire department's leadership. Acting Fire Chief Bill Abderhalden's oversight of day-to-day operations will also be under scrutiny as the department navigates this challenging period.
About this story
Original reporting by KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) . The Minneapolis surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: July 20, 2026 ·
Source: KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) ·
Reading time: 2 min
Get more The Minneapolis stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering safety and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Maple Grove is looking for a new fire chief after charges brought by prosecutors prompted the current chief to resign. The city confirmed that Maddison Zikmund resigned from his post on July 16. Zikmund was charged a week earlier with third-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly sexually ab...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 20, 2026 by KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC) and curated for The Minneapolis readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Josh Skluzacek at KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (ABC). To learn more about how The Minneapolis selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Minneapolis, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More safety →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter