Police: Father in Grand Rapids Attempted Murder-Suicide Suffered from Depression
8-year-old Wyatt Krauss remains in critical condition at Essentia Saint Mary's Hospital
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Mid-afternoon on Thursday, March 30, around 3:47 p.m., the Itasca County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a 911 call of a medical emergency in the 1300 block of 4th Street SE, according to the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Personnel arrived within four minutes and found David Krauss, 29, dead inside the residence from a gunshot wound, as well as the man’s 8-year-old son, Wyatt, who was found in critical condition suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
The two were found by the David Krauss’ mother, who came to check on them and located them in Wyatt’s bedroom; she called 911.
The 8-year-old was transported by helicopter to a Duluth medical facility.
The Grand Rapids Police Sergeant Robert Stein has confirmed to FOX 21 that the father, David, purchased a 9 mm handgun from a local store on March 22 — the same gun that was used to kill himself and shoot his son.
Family told authorities that David had suffered from depression since the age of 14, which they believe is a direct link to why he tried to kill his own son, and eventually take his own life. “It’s a tragedy,” said Robert Stein, an administrative sergeant with the Grand Rapids Police Department. “It’s going to affect the community and the family. We don’t like things like this to happen, but when people are dealing with mental illness or depression, we seem to have a higher number of that in our community, and I think we need to get further help for people in those circumstances.”
Sgt. Stein also stated that the boy had been found by his grandmother approximately 9 to 10 hours after the shooting occurred.
Wyatt remains in critical condition at this time and is with his mother and grandmother.
Grand Rapids Assistant Police Chief Steve Schaar stated, “We have no reason to believe that the public is in any danger.”
The incident remains under investigation at this time.
