A man is believed to have killed his wife, their child and a close relative before taking his own life in a series of linked attacks in Minnesota, police have said. The first killings took place at Brown Bear Childcare in Hopkins, near Minneapolis, a home-based daycare run by the couple, where a man, woman and child were found dead in what police described as a "domestic situation" on Wednesday morning. The incident is significant because it occurred at a childcare facility with seven young children present, and because it appears connected to a second fatal stabbing nearby.

Police Chief Brent Johnson said the deaths occurred around 9am and that the man, woman and child appeared to be related, with the man believed to be responsible. Aside from the one child killed, the other six children in the daycare were evacuated unharmed and later reunited with their families. Roughly three hours later, a 78-year-old woman was found stabbed to death at a property in Burnsville, believed to be a close relative of the suspect who had recently been staying there; police say the two incidents are linked. A motive has not been established, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey acknowledged the "critical incident" during a budget address, offering support to Hopkins officials.