Minneapolis balcony shooting, police chase ends after suspect fatally shoots driver in western Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — Police say a man shot and killed one person and injured another in western Minnesota before being taken into custody following a domestic violence-related standoff on Tuesday afternoon in south Minneapolis.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara says officers were called to the Lime apartment building off Lyndale Avenue South and West 29th Street at about 12:30 p.m. after multiple reports of shots fired.
As officers arrived, they were informed someone was opening fire from an apartment balcony down to a parking lot near the Uptown VFW.
They soon found the suspect's ex-girlfriend and her current boyfriend. O'Hara says she initially came to the suspect's apartment to get some of her belongings. He says an altercation occurred before the suspect opened fire on them from above while they were in the driveway below, but no one was hurt.
"It just kind of freaked me out. It feels like it just came out of nowhere" said Lime resident Daniel Gomez. "Just kind of shocking. I kind of just feel disoriented."
Another resident told WCCO, "There are incidents that happen around here. It's kind of just what it's like living around here."
O'Hara says officers learned the suspect and the woman have a child together who was at daycare at the time. Officers rushed to the daycare center, secured the child and put the building on lockdown. The child was eventually taken into the custody of other family members.
Officers eventually made their way into the apartment after obtaining a search warrant, O'Hara says, but no one was inside. Crisis negotiators then made contact with the suspect via phone, who was driving west of the cities.
Suspect attempts carjackings, causes chase
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says investigators believe the suspect attempted to carjack a man before fatally shooting him near the Highway 71 and Highway 23 bypass south of Willmar. The victim was identified as 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London.
Leah Sangabriel from Willmar ended up in the middle of the police pursuit along highway 23.
"It's still kind of surreal. I'm still kind of in shock," she said.
The suspect's vehicle nearly clipped her while she was driving to Willmar from Raymond, Sangabriel said, as he dodged oncoming traffic along the two lane highway mid-afternoon Tuesday.
Sangabriel captured a portion of the pursuit on video.
"He was going toward the oncoming traffic. If I didn't scoot over, it was going to be a head on collision," said Sangabriel. "I scooted over to the shoulder and he scooted in front of the car behind me and he was gone."
Authorities also suspect the man shot and injured a 25-year-old McLeod County corrections officer at a rural Kandiyohi County home before being taken into custody.
WCCO's helicopter found a crime scene at a farmhouse in the town of Lake Lillian and another crime scene where they arrested him 25 minutes away.
"This was a very taxing situation, and I know it's weighing especially heavy on the crisis negotiators that were on the phone with this individual," O'Hara said. "I know our officers did absolutely everything they could, but it appears clear that this person was homicidal and just bent on committing violence."
The incident remains under investigation.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.