Morrison County hunter's rifle found, believed to be murder weapon

Morrison County authorities say a hunter who was shot dead nearly a year ago east of Little Falls apparently was murdered with his own rifle.

In a news release, Sheriff Shawn Larsen said a Winchester model 30-30 lever action rifle located by investigators has been identified as belonging to Terrence "Terry" Brisk. Larsen said investigators believe it's the murder weapon.

Brisk was found shot to death on Nov. 7, 2016, on his parents' property in Belle Prairie Township. The rifle he frequently carried was missing at the time.

Details about where the rifle was found weren't released. The rifle was submitted to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for forensic analysis.

"This has been a slow, methodical process and investigators continue to actively pursue every lead that is generated," Larsen said. "We know the community wants answers about what happened. We need to wait to provide more specific information about what we've learned so far so that we may protect the integrity of the investigation and bring Terry's killer to justice."

A reward of up to $30,000 from local donors is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person who shot and killed Brisk.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Morrison County Sheriff's Office at 320-632-9233.