HOPKINS, Minnesota — Three people, including a child, were found dead at an in-home daycare in Hopkins, Minnesota, after police responded to a reported stabbing on Wednesday, authorities said. Police said the incident appeared to be domestic-related and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Officers were called to Brown Bear Childcare on the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North shortly after 9 a.m., according to Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnson. They found a man, a woman and a child dead inside the home.
Police said the victims were believed to be members of the same family. Investigators preliminarily believe the man was responsible for killing the woman and child before taking his own life, Johnson said. Authorities have not released the identities of the deceased or detailed the manner of their deaths beyond confirming that police had responded to a reported stabbing.
Six other children were at the daycare at the time and were not injured, according to authorities. Police removed the children from the home and reunited them with their parents.
A parent who arrived to drop off a child called police and was believed to have witnessed the attack, Johnson said. The investigation remained active as authorities worked to establish the circumstances leading to the violence.
“This is an extremely tragic event for our community,” the Hopkins Police Department said in a statement, adding that there were no outstanding suspects and no continuing danger to the public.
Johnson said the incident was unusual for Hopkins, a suburb about 10 miles southwest of Minneapolis. He said officers responding to the scene had been deeply affected by what they encountered.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office was working with Hopkins police and that its victim services division was prepared to support people affected by the incident. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also said the city had offered assistance to Hopkins.
Authorities continued to investigate the deaths and had not announced any criminal charges, with the suspected perpetrator among those killed. Police said further information would be released as the investigation progressed.
