St. Anthony police are looking for a man who disappeared from his home last week, nearly one year after his son was shot and killed during a standoff with police.
Todd Hoffstrom, 56, was last seen early Monday morning in his home. His wife, Leeann Hoffstrom, said he left while the family was sleeping, taking only the clothes he was wearing and a wallet that had about $8 in it.
Hoffstrom had shown signs of severe depression and alcohol abuse since the loss of their son last November, his wife said. "He was despondent."
The couple began attending Survivor Resources, a support group in St. Paul, where "he told us he'd just love to drive his car into the river and drown," Leeann Hoffstrom said. "It was a red flag for all of us."
Hoffstrom left home in bluejeans, a black shirt and flip flops, she said. He hasn't turned on his cellphone or used any credit cards since Monday.
Family members said Hoffstrom promised to check himself into Regions Hospital in St. Paul on Tuesday to get help; he had already made plans to take the time off work in order to do it.
Police said Hoffstrom was added to the National Crime Information Center as a missing or endangered person.
Hoffstrom is the father of Ted Hoffstrom, a 30-year-old lawyer who was killed by police after he fatally wounded prominent Orono physician Dr. Stephen Larson at his home last fall. Ted Hoffstrom had expressed hostility toward Larson because he believed the doctor had mistreated his mother in an undisclosed medical situation, police said.
