A Minnesota resident, Kirk Edward Hazlett III, is facing charges after allegedly breaking into his father’s hunting cabin and fatally shooting him in front of family members. The incident occurred on November 15 in Pine County, where the accused reportedly fired nine rounds at his father, 64-year-old Kirk Edward Hazlett II, including a fatal shot to the head.
According to police records, Hazlett III was captured on a trail camera, armed with a handgun, approaching the family’s hunting cabin around 8:40 p.m. The victim’s brother, alerted by the disturbance, rushed to arm himself. Hazlett III is said to have entered the cabin through a side door and shot his father at least three times.
When the victim’s brother returned, he found his sibling lying near a couch, still alive but barely breathing. Another family member present during the incident recalled Hazlett III entering the cabin and immediately opening fire, without uttering a word. The relative described the accused as being on “a mission” to kill his father.
Reports suggest that Hazlett III and his father had been at odds for some time, with the accused reportedly not on good terms with the family. After the shooting, Hazlett III allegedly ordered two other relatives present to sit on the couch, as they pleaded for their lives. He then shot his father in the head once more, in what has been described as an “execution-style” killing.
After the shooting, Hazlett III reportedly demanded the two relatives hand over their phones before allowing them to leave the cabin. The relatives quickly sought help from a neighbor, who contacted the police. By the time first responders arrived at the scene, Hazlett III had fled, and his father was pronounced dead.
Rather than going into hiding, Hazlett III returned to his home in Cambridge, about eight miles from the cabin. He contacted the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office with concerns about his girlfriend. He was subsequently arrested at his home and charged with second-degree murder, burglary, and kidnapping. He is currently being held at the Pine County Sheriff’s Office on a $3 million bond.
In the month prior to the shooting, police had been called to the cabin due to a disturbance between Hazlett III and his father. The son, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, had been threatening his father. Hazlett II had told police that his son was not welcome at the cabin and had been trespassed from the property.