Police: Stray bullet kills man working in garage at home in Willmar

Updated: Jan. 17, 3:30 p.m.

Police in Willmar, Minn., are searching for the source of a stray bullet that struck and killed a man while he was working in his garage on Friday night.

Authorities said officers were called to the 1000 block of Fourth Street SW just after 7:30 p.m. Friday for a medical emergency.

"Upon arrival, they learned that a 41-year-old male homeowner had been working in his garage and family witnessed him suddenly collapse. While EMTs and officers were providing medical care they found that he had a penetrating injury to his chest," Willmar police said in a news release.

The man was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Police on Sunday identified him as David Delfosse of Willmar.

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"Officers investigating the scene located a bullet hole that had completely penetrated a garage wall traveling in the direction to where the homeowner was working. Evidence indicates that an errant bullet came from a location off of the homeowner’s property, through the garage wall and struck him," police reported.

On Saturday morning the Willmar Police SWAT team executed a "high-risk search warrant" on a nearby home as part of the investigation, but there were no immediate arrests.

Police said that "at this point there is no evidence to indicate the homeowner was an intended target or victim. There is also no evidence to indicate an immediate safety concern to the general public."

They're asking anyone with information about the incident — including residents of the neighborhood who might have security camera footage that captured gunshots — to contact Willmar police at (320) 235-2244, or provide a tip anonymously at www.crimestoppersmn.org.