2 Men Dead After Shooting in Willmar Park

Two men are dead and another in critical condition after a shooting in Willmar last night.  Willmar Police have issued a news release, saying at 8 p.m. Monday night they were dispatched to the area of Rau Park, located at the 1000 block of 7th St. NW for a report of gunshots.  Officers were told two or three people were injured.

Police and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene and began providing life saving measures to two men…one was a 19-year-old, the other was 20 and both were from Willmar.  They were transported to CentraCare Rice Hospital by ambulance.  One of the victims was pronounced deceased at the hospital, and the other party was flown by helicopter to the St. Cloud Hospital and is in critical condition.   A third man, a 19-year-old from Willmar, was was transported to Rice Hospital by a personal vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. 

Police secured the scene, began investigating and taking witness statements.  The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s crime lab was contacted to assist with the investigation.  At the time of this press release, they are still on scene, processing the crime scene, and vehicle traffic is currently blocked off from The Kandiyohi County Fairgrounds to 15th Avenue Northwest. 

Police say they believe this is an isolated incident and was not a random act of violence, and do not believe there is a current public threat.  Names have been withheld to allow time for family notifications.  More information will be released in the future as the case evolves and additional facts become available.  They say the case is very fluid and remains an active investigation.