Editor's note: The Kandyohi County Sheriff's Office later Tuesday night confirmed a driver was fatally shot outside Willmar. Few additional details were available Tuesday night, but
WILLMAR 鈥� What started as a domestic assault at an apartment building on Lyndale Avenue near 29th Street in Minneapolis ended in a deadly shooting southeast of Willmar on Tuesday afternoon, with another reported gunshot victim near Lake Lillian.
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According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O鈥橦ara, who spoke at a news conference late Tuesday afternoon, the incident at the apartment building started when the suspect鈥檚 ex-girlfriend came to pick up some of her belongings and the suspect began shooting.
Before the building was cleared, negotiators were on the phone with the suspect and discovered he had left the area. Law enforcement agencies west of the Twin Cities were notified to be on the lookout, according to O鈥橦ara.
According to reports from police radio scanners posted on the MN CRIME WATCHERS Facebook page, negotiators also learned he was willing to shoot at law enforcement and was threatening suicide by cop.
Law enforcement agencies located the suspect鈥檚 Jeep and began a pursuit that eventually turned into a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 165 miles per hour westbound on Minnesota Highway 7, according to the scanner reports.
At 2:01 p.m. Tuesday, negotiators suspected that the man had shot someone. Law enforcement found the suspect鈥檚 Jeep and discovered he had stolen another vehicle, according to scanner reports.
At 2:08 p.m., Carver County law enforcement confirmed he had carjacked another vehicle, and there was a report of a gunshot victim found inside a house near 195th Avenue Southeast on Minnesota Highway 7 in Lake Lillian. The victim had a gunshot wound that passed through the top part of their chest and law enforcement closed the area down, according to scanner reports.
A West Central Tribune staff member observed law enforcement and police tape at the Lake Lillian location.
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O'Hara during his news conference spoke in only general terms about the events in western Minnesota.
鈥淥bviously, it appears that crimes occurred, that some tragedy has occurred outside of the city, and that occurred in western counties, and I don't have specific information as to what happened west of the city,鈥� O鈥橦ara said. 鈥� 鈥� It has been a busy day here in the city. 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. I know our officers did absolutely everything they could, but it appears clear that this person was homicidal and just bent on committing violence.鈥�
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office had not issued a statement as of 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, and Sheriff Eric Tollefson had not yet returned a message from the West Central Tribune, but it was likely that officers were still on the scene. The Minnesota Department of Transportation was still showing that portion of the highway as closed.
According to scanner traffic, law enforcement lost the suspect as he entered the city of Raymond, but he was picked back up driving eastbound on Minnesota Highway 23 near County Road 1 west of Willmar.
At 2:25 p.m., OnStar executed a slow down on the stolen vehicle as it traveled on the Highway 71/23 bypass south of Willmar. Squad vehicles were reported to be in position and setting up a perimeter.
The suspect is said to have fled on foot and attempted to steal another vehicle before running across westbound lanes and throwing something on the ground.
Law enforcement called for an ambulance at 2:27 p.m. Tuesday for another gunshot victim. It was reported the person was shot in the head and did not survive.
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Law enforcement was able to bring the suspect into custody and recovered a firearm in the ditch.
The Highway 71/23 bypass was closed Tuesday afternoon on the southeast edge of Willmar as officers investigated what had occurred. It was closed by 2:45 p.m. and was expected to be reopened by 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to the road closure posting on the Minnesota Department of Transportation's 511 travel information page.
MnDOT vehicles, numerous law enforcement vehicles and at least one ambulance were observed by West Central Tribune staff in that area of the bypass.
The Willmar Senior High 歪歪漫画 went into lockdown at 2:30 p.m. due to an 鈥渆xternal threat,鈥� according to Superintendent Dr. Bill Adams. The Senior High 歪歪漫画 immediately activated its secured response protocol.
Students and staff continued normal activities within the building in accordance with the protocol, he said in a news release. At 2:42 p.m., the school received the 鈥渁ll-clear" notification.
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