Hopkins cleaning crew escapes blasts from shotgun-wielding man

A man fired several shotgun blasts Tuesday morning inside a closed restaurant in Hopkins, hitting cash registers but sparing the cleaning crew inside, police said.

The shooting occurred shortly after 8 a.m. at Lindee's Saloon & Eatery along Hwy. 7, just east of Hwy. 169, according to police.

A 36-year-old man suspected of the shooting was apprehended and taken to a hospital for physical and psychological treatment, police Sgt. Michael Glassberg said.

"There is a known relationship between the owner and suspect," Glassberg said, declining to elaborate.

Reached by telephone at the restaurant, which was closed Tuesday, owner Bob Lindee declined to talk about the shooting.

According to Glassberg:

The man entered the business and started shooting. The cleaning crew contacted the owner and fled.

Officers on the scene made telephone contact inside and heard a struggle between the gunman and the owner.

Several officers entered the business and detained the suspect.

Glassberg didn't want to specify what prompted the shooting but said the man's anger was directed "toward the business" and not anyone in the cleaning crew.

The motive "will be clear when the criminal complaint comes out," he said.