2 dead in triple shooting in St. Anthony

A man and woman were killed and a third person was wounded Monday night in a triple shooting in the northeastern Minneapolis suburb of St. Anthony.

"All the signs are leading" to a conclusion that it was a murder-suicide involving a husband and wife, said Police Chief John Ohl, who added that the investigation was in a preliminary stage.

A 25-year-old man, who is likely related to the couple, possibly a son, also was shot, and was taken to a hospital. His wound did not appear to be life-threatening, authorities said.

Ohl said it appears the 52-year-old man shot the 45-year-old woman before turning the gun on himself at about 8:30 p.m. in a duplex on the corner of 39th Avenue NE. and MacAlaster Drive. Ohl said he couldn't comment on whether other people were in the home at the time.

"This wasn't a random act," Ohl said. "All these people know each other. All these people have a relationship, and apparently that's stemming from a bad relationship, what occurred here tonight."

There is no danger to neighborhood residents, Ohl said, adding, "We have the weapon. We have the person that was involved."

Neighbors stood outside on the warm spring evening as investigators blocked off the duplex with yellow crime tape.

"It was bang, bang, bang," said Ray Novotny, who was in his home nearby when he heard the shots. "I'm a hunter, so I know gunshots. And then I heard the bloodcurdling scream of a young female. ... Then there was one final shot, and it was all over."

Police sirens followed within minutes, he said.

Novotny said he saw three people lying outside the house as police arrived. As an officer approached, the youngest victim moved. "It looked like he had been playing dead" and moved only once he was assured that police were on the scene, Novotny said.

Amy Kraus and her son, Talbot, who live three houses away from the duplex, also said they heard five to six shots. "And then I heard a girl screaming," Talbot said. "And then there was a guy who had been injured on the ground who began hobbling around."

"It's usually a very quiet neighborhood," Amy Kraus said.