Generic Police Lights (FOX 9)
LAKE BENTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - The deaths of a man and woman killed Thursday in Lake Benton are being investigated as a murder-suicide, authorities say.
The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death of the 81-year-old woman as a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds. The 80-year-old man, who authorities say is the woman's husband, died by suicide caused by a single gunshot wound.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are currently investigating what led up to the shootings, authorities say.
Just after 3 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to a report of a medical emergency at a home on South Center Street in Lake Benton, Minnesota, law enforcement said. When authorities arrived at the scene, they found a woman dead and a seriously injured man, according to the sheriff's office. The man was taken to Tyler Hospital, where he later died.
"A lot of people don’t realize the impact that an incident like this has on a rural, tight-knit community like Lake Benton. Many folks here are related to each other, and most people know one another. When a tragedy like this occurs, it’s like everyone has lost a family member," said Lincoln County Sheriff Bob Bushman.