HOPKINS, Minn. — A quiet Minneapolis suburb was shaken this week after a 41-year-old man allegedly killed his wife and their 7-year-old daughter inside the home daycare the couple ran, before turning the weapon on himself, according to police.
Officials said the attack unfolded in the basement of the home, which operated as Brown Bear Childcare, while several young children were present for regular daycare hours. Authorities confirmed the man used a knife on his wife and daughter before fatally shooting himself. None of the six other children inside the home were physically injured, though officials acknowledged some may have witnessed the violence.
Police said another parent, arriving to drop off their child, walked in on the attack and immediately called 911. Officers who responded said the scene was among the most disturbing they had encountered in the community, where violent crime is described as extremely rare.
Roughly three hours later and about 20 miles away, officers in a neighboring city discovered a 78-year-old woman who had been fatally stabbed inside her own home. Investigators believe the man had been staying with her and now consider the two incidents connected, though a full timeline is still being established.
A neighbor across the street said she only realized something was wrong when she saw officers attempting to force open the front door. She described watching several children being carried out afterward, and said she never suspected the home — known locally for a large mural on its garage — was operating as a licensed daycare.
Records show the facility had been licensed since 2019 with a maximum capacity of 10 children and had passed inspections in recent years. Investigators say no motive has been determined, and there is no record of prior police involvement at the property.
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