On New Year's Day 2019, a family gathering in a quiet suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota, turned into a scene of tragedy. Larry Klimek, a 54-year-old White / Caucasian male, was shot and killed at his mother's home in White Bear Township. The celebration, an annual potluck, was shattered around 3:45 p.m. when Larry's older brother, 56-year-old Lee Klimek, opened fire.
Larry, a dedicated Metro Transit bus and light rail operator, had just arrived with his two teenage children.
As he was taking off his shoes, Lee emerged from the basement and shot him. The sudden violence sent shockwaves through the approximately twenty relatives who were present, including several children. In the chaos that ensued, Larry's 16-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter managed to escape to a neighbor's house to call for help.
When Ramsey County sheriff's deputies and a SWAT team arrived at the residence on Centerville Road, they found people fleeing the home. A witness reported that Lee Klimek was armed with a shotgun, a rifle, and a handgun. For two hours, authorities attempted to make contact with the gunman inside. When they finally entered the house, they discovered the bodies of both Larry and Lee Klimek in what was determined to be a murder-suicide. Lee Klimek had also fatally shot his dog before turning the gun on himself.
The motive behind the tragic act remains unclear to investigators. Family members reported that Lee Klimek had been in poor physical health and had not worked in two decades, but they were unaware of any significant mental health issues. He lived in the basement of his mother's home where the party was being held. Authorities have stated that they are not looking for any other suspects. Larry Klimek was remembered by friends and family as a wonderful family man who was deeply devoted to his three children and his wife, Heather.
