Bloomington Man In Custody, Accused Of Killing Wife, Shooting 2 Neighbors, Ages 12 And 29
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Neighbors in Bloomington were awoken by the sound of gunshots Sunday night.
Police say a 48-year-old man fatally shot his 47-year-old wife, who was found in the couple's garage. He then shot two neighbors in their front yard -- 12-year-old Makayla and 29-year-old Canisha.
Rev. Marcia Westbrook is Makayla and Canisha's aunt.
"Just an innocent kid," Westbrook said. "I just kept telling my sister, 'God didn't bring us here to leave us he is going to work it out.'"
Westbrook says her sister's daughters were outside packing up a vehicle, preparing to move to a new home. The girls heard a popping noise.
"My sister said the same thing of, 'You know, we heard them but we ain't used to hearing shots so we're thinking fireworks,'" Rev Westbrook said.
Moments later, the family says the suspect was outside, and Canisha was shot three times in her lower body. Makayla was shot in the head while running away from the gunshots, cradling her 1-year-old niece, who was unharmed.
"Then he saw my sister, and she had to actually run, and he came around where she was on her side and shot at the U-Haul that she jumped into," Westbrook said.
The family believes Makayla is a hero.
"Oh my goodness, she is our angel of the day," Westbrook said.
When police arrived, the suspect had barricaded himself inside his home, refusing to come out. Police say he fired up to 40 rounds. He was eventually taken into custody. Criminal charges are pending.
The family says Makayla is in critical condition, and Canisha is in stable condition at Hennepin Healthcare.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's office is leading the investigation.
A GoFundMe for the family can be found here.