A deadly shooting has claimed the lives of three Minnesota family members — and the suspect in the shooting has also been found dead.
On March 5, authorities responded to a wellness check on the Mattson family in Fish Lake Township, Minn. When they arrived at the scene, they found the bodies of Darrell, 73, and Denise Mattson, 68, along with their 47-year-old son, Kirk. All three had been dead for at least one day.
Authorities had discovered another body at a different location on the previous day. They now believe that person is the suspect in the murders of the Mattsons. The suspect’s name and cause of death have not been released.
Authorities have not disclosed the motive in the attack, but they believe that the killings were not random. It’s unclear if police are looking at any other suspects in the murders.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is working with the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the violence.
The murders have unsettled the quiet, rural community, located about an hour north of St. Paul.
“They had a beautiful garden, they loved to share fruits, vegetables with us. They were just real nice people,” neighbor Chris Koecher tells Mister Truth. “It’s nerve-racking, uneasy. It’s such a quiet community, stuff like this doesn’t happen up here.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to raise money for funeral expenses. The couple leaves behind two surviving adult children, Kent and Kami.
“Their world as they knew it had come crashing down,” family friend Stephanie Lang writes on the GoFundMe. “Kent, Kami and their families are in a state of shock and trying to navigate through this thing call ‘grief.'”
In a statement, the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office expressed their “sincere condolences to the Mattson family and all those affected by this recent tragedy,” and vowed that they would solve the crime.
“We recognize the need for answers and calls for justice when an incident like this occurs within our community,” the Sheriff wrote. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to investigate and the members of this Office will continue to work diligently towards finding those answers you seek.”