Three people, including a seven-year-old child, were found dead Wednesday morning in an apparent domestic-related murder-suicide at an in-home daycare facility in Hopkins, Minnesota, according to local law enforcement officials. Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnson stated that officers responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing just after 9 a.m. at the residence located in the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North, operated as Brown Bear Daycare. Investigators later connected the tragedy to a related homicide discovered later that day in Burnsville.
Chief Johnson identified the victims at the Hopkins scene as a 41-year-old man who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, a 41-year-old woman who sustained fatal stab wounds, and a 7-year-old girl who also suffered fatal stab wounds. Authorities confirmed that the three deceased individuals were members of the same family and are believed to be the operators of the in-home childcare facility. A parent arriving to drop off a child discovered the unfolding tragedy and contacted emergency services, with investigators believing that parent may have witnessed the incident, as reported by Fox News.
In addition to the deceased victims, police located six very young children inside the home at the time of the emergency response. Chief Johnson confirmed that all six children were physically unharmed and have since been safely reunited with their respective families. “There’s no worse scenario than this, where you drop off your child to somewhere you think is safe, and you get that phone call,” Chief Johnson said during a media briefing, as detailed by KSTP. The Hopkins Police Department stated that there are no outstanding suspects and no ongoing threat to the general public.
Investigation Links Hopkins Tragedy to Burnsville Homicide
As the investigation unfolded on Wednesday afternoon, local authorities connected the Hopkins daycare incident to a separate homicide investigation in Burnsville, Minnesota. Police authorities stated that the victim in the Burnsville case is believed to be a close family relative of the suspect in the Hopkins murder-suicide. Law enforcement agencies have not yet released the exact motive behind the violence, and forensic teams continue to process both crime scenes to determine the precise sequence of events and the nature of the weapons involved.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty issued a statement addressing the crisis, noting that her office’s victim services division is actively prepared to support individuals and families impacted by the violence. Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the tragedy during a budget address on Wednesday morning, offering condolences from the City of Minneapolis and pledging full municipal assistance to Hopkins leadership and police as they navigate the community trauma.
Community Impact and Local Response in Hopkins
The tight-knit neighborhood surrounding Tyler Avenue North reeled as news of the emergency response spread through the western Minneapolis suburb. Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon spoke to reporters about the profound grief affecting the municipality. “This is a tight-knit community,” Mayor Hanlon said, according to KSTP. “We don’t have strangers in Hopkins, we all know each other. This city has shed a lot of tears today over this incident, over this immense loss.”
Local residents expressed shock and disbelief over the violence unfolding in a familiar neighborhood setting. Neighbor Tasha Lyles noted that her children rode the same school bus as the family’s child, describing the atmosphere as entirely unexpected. Investigators continue to gather witness statements from neighborhood residents and process evidence from the residence. Law enforcement officials have urged anyone affected by domestic crisis to utilize available support networks as the community begins the long process of healing.
Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or thoughts of crisis, confidential help is available. In the United States, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Free, confidential support is available 24/7.
Police and county investigators are expected to release further updates as forensic examinations conclude and formal identifications are finalized by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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