Double murder-suicide at Hopkins home daycare, deadly Burnsville stabbing connected, police say
Two Twin Cities police departments say an apparent double murder-suicide Wednesday morning at a home daycare and a separate deadly stabbing are linked.
Police in Hopkins, Minnesota, say three people were found deceased inside a residential daycare on the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North Wednesday around 9 a.m.
A 41-year-old man was dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, and a 41-year-old woman and a 7-year-old girl were dead from apparent stab wounds. Police say they are all family members.
Six other children were at the daycare at the time, police say, and all were unharmed and reunited with their families.
Police in Burnsville, Minnesota, say officers were called to a home off Maple Island Road and Joplin Avenue around 12:23 p.m., where they found a 78-year-old woman dead from an apparent stabbing. Investigators believe the man found dead in Hopkins was a close relative of the victim and had been living with her.
Both police departments say there is no longer any threat to the public.
"When tragedies like these happen, they affect entire communities," said Burnsville Police Chief Matt Smith. "I ask we focus on our care and concern for each other. Lean on your family, friends and neighbors over the coming days."
Burnsville is about 20 miles south of Minneapolis, while Hopkins is about 10 miles southwest.
"This is the most terrible thing"
Neighbor Kelly Shortenhaus told WCCO when she spotted 16 police cars outside her home, and word spread about nearby neighbors being evacuated, she knew something was terribly wrong.
"This is such a quiet neighborhood, I never in a million years would have guessed that something like this could even be a possibility," Shortenhaus said. "We really didn't even know there was a daycare behind us."
The news hits especially hard for Shortenhaus, a mother of two.
"Holding my kids super super close and just trying to do what I can as a mom to keep them safe," Shortenhaus said. "The world is going through a lot right now, all of us are, and it's really sad to see that coming out in our actions."
Dale Novy has lived nearby for most of his 85 years, and said he still can't fathom what happened.
"That is the most terrible thing," Novy said. "You really don't hear anything like that until it happens in your neighborhood. You go, 'Why?'"
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is "working with Hopkins Police as they investigate" and the "victim services division is prepared to support the individuals impacted by this incident."
Neighbors remember victim in Burnsville stabbing
Reggie Frazier says he will remember the 78-year-old victim for her warm smile. He knew her as a dedicated member of their local homeowner's association, where he served with her for about two years.
Frazier said that she was soft-spoken and knew how to bring the temperature down if arguments ever started up.
"She was always that one that would bring you full circle, [and say] 'Well, can we do something different?' Instead of, you know, putting someone through hardship," Frazier said.
Frazier said that the woman was known to frequently walk around the neighborhood sparking up small talk.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Helpline at 1-800-799-SAFE or Minnesota Day One at 1-866-223-1111.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.
