On a September morning in 2020, the life of 17-year-old Michael Robert Erickson, a White male from Menahga, Minnesota, was tragically cut short. The incident occurred on September 18th at a friend's home in rural Menahga, where Michael had spent the night with two other boys. Emergency services were summoned to the residence by a 911 call reporting that a juvenile had sustained a gunshot wound.
Upon their arrival, they found Michael Erickson deceased at the scene.
The subsequent investigation by the Becker County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension revealed the devastating circumstances of Michael's death. An autopsy determined that he died from a "contact" shotgun wound to the head, indicating the firearm was placed directly against his skin when it was discharged. The investigation identified 17-year-old Logan Daniel Keranen as the individual who fired the weapon. According to court documents, Keranen had taken a shotgun from a gun safe in his home to show to his friends. As Michael was resting or sleeping in a bed, the gun discharged, inflicting the fatal wound.
Following the investigation, Logan Daniel Keranen was charged in Becker County Juvenile Court with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The legal proceedings that followed delved into the specifics of the incident, examining the moments leading up to the fatal discharge. The court heard testimony from the third boy present in the room, who described seeing Keranen "kind of freaking out" immediately after the shot was fired. Keranen himself made the 911 call after placing the shotgun back in the gun safe. After a trial, the court rendered a verdict of not guilty.
