CLOQUET, MN – A fatal shooting at a Super 8 hotel in Minnesota ended in the deaths of three individuals, among them the suspect, who police believe died by suicide. A hotel worker reported the initial assault just after 6:30 pm on Monday, prompting authorities to respond to the scene. The call to 911 came from an employee who claimed they found a fellow staff member apparently attacked. Outdoor security footage has since helped officials verify the events that took place.
With an active shooter potentially on the loose, police issued a swift alert for residents in the area to shelter-in-place around 7 pm. After a tense ninety minutes, authorities signaled that the area had been secured and no longer posed an immediate threat.
Upon arriving at the location, police found a 22-year-old female victim who had suffered a gunshot wound. Despite being quickly transported to the hospital, she sadly succumbed to her injuries. It remains unclear if this was the same individual mentioned in the initial emergency call.
During their investigation, officers discovered the body of a 35-year-old male in the parking lot of the hotel, he too a victim of a fatal gunshot wound. In another disturbing find, they found a 32-year-old male, presumed to be the suspect, dead on the hotel grounds from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Identification of the victims and the alleged shooter have been withheld pending family notifications.
According to investigators, preliminary evaluation of surveillance tapes confirmed that the 32-year-old male was indeed the perpetrator of the violence. The motive behind the disturbing incident remains unknown, as does any potential link between the shooter and victims.
Authorities have reassured the local community, citing confidence in the absence of any further threat to the public. The crime scene is still under active investigation with more information being released in the coming days as authorities confirm details.