On August 9, 2016, Bruce Brown, a 47-year-old resident of northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota, was fatally shot by his neighbor, 61-year-old Edward 'Ed' Holzinger. The incident stemmed from a dispute over a damaged lawnmower that Brown had borrowed from Holzinger. Holzinger accused Brown of returning the mower in a broken condition, which led to escalating tensions between the two men.
On the evening of the shooting, Brown was hosting a family barbecue in his backyard.
During the gathering, he sarcastically called out to Holzinger, asking if he wanted a hamburger. Holzinger responded, 'Come over and find out.' Despite his family's pleas to ignore the remark, Brown approached Holzinger's residence. Moments later, Holzinger, who had been drinking and was armed with a 9mm handgun, shot Brown twice in the chest as he stood on his front porch. Brown's niece attempted to administer first aid, but he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Following the shooting, Holzinger reportedly stated, 'He deserved it. He called me a pedophile. I know I'm going to jail, and I don't care.' He was immediately arrested and charged with second-degree murder. In January 2017, Holzinger pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently sentenced to 261 months in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Faribault, with eligibility for release in 2031.
