Willmar man killed by stray bullet in his garage

Willmar police are investigating the death of a man killed by a stray bullet while working in his garage Friday night.

A 41-year-old man was working in his home garage near the 1000 block of SW. 4th Street when family members witnessed him collapse. CentraCare EMS responders and police officers found the wound in his chest while providing medical care, according to a post on the police department's Facebook page. He was taken to Carris Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Officers found a bullet hole in the garage wall that gave clues a stray bullet had come from outside of the homeowner's property and struck the man while in the garage.

On Saturday morning, the Willmar Police Department SWAT team served a high-risk search warrant on a residence in the 1000 block of SW. 3rd Street as part of this investigation but made no immediate arrests. Officials are asking the public for more information and to check their home surveillance footage for anything that could be helpful with the investigation.

Willmar police said in its post that "there is no evidence to indicate the homeowner was an intended target or victim" or that there was an immediate safety concern for the public.

Marissa Evans • 612-673-4280