Dispute Between Chisago Co. Neighbors Leaves 1 Dead, 1 Charged
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A dispute between two neighbors in a rural Minnesota town has left one man dead and another facing prison time.
Forty-two-year-old Carl Anderson was charged with second degree murder. Authorities say he shot and killed a 62-year-old man following a fight near their homes in Chisago County Township.
Anderson made the call to tell authorities he shot someone on Wednesday.
People who knew both men told WCCO's Kate Raddatz these two were longtime neighbors and have had a longstanding feud, although they did not elaborate as to why.
According to the criminal complaint, this shooting happened following a dispute over access to a lake near their homes.
It was on a quiet rural road that investigators say Anderson shot and killed his 62-year-old neighbor.
According to the criminal complaint, Anderson called authorities around 12:30 pm Wednesday saying he had shot someone. Authorities went to Lindo Trail where they found 62-year-old Don Johnson lying in the road.
Anderson was in the driver's seat of his pickup. Anderson told investigators "I shot him in the chest."
Anderson was taken in for questioning at the Chisago County Sheriff's Office, where he told investigators he had given a few fishermen access to his mother's property on Sunrise Lake.
He then stopped at a local bait shop where an employee told him Johnson had called to complain about people parking on his property.
Anderson said he agreed to ask those people to move their vehicles but when he arrived, he saw Johnson on an ATV talking to a man near one of the parked vehicles.
At some point Johnson allegedly drove up to the driver's side of Anderson's truck and motioned to roll his window down.
Anderson told investigators Johnson appeared upset, accused him of stealing a ladder and made a threatening statement. He said Johnson got off the ATV and approached his truck, when he fired one fatal shot.
A man who asked not to be identified said he knows both men involved in the case. He said they are both fathers and that this has been shocking to a close-knit town.
He did say it was surprising for people to hear that Anderson shot Johnson, because he is a gun safety instructor.
The Chisago County Sheriff's Office have not returned our calls to confirm those details.