On a summer morning in Blaine, Minnesota, the quiet of a mobile home community was shattered by the sound of gunshots. On July 22, 2016, a family quarrel between a father and son escalated into a fatal encounter. Thirty-eight-year-old Joshua James Effertz, a Caucasian male, was shot multiple times and was later pronounced dead at the Hennepin County Medical Center.
The incident unfolded around 7 a.m. in the 3200 block of 89th Curve NE, where Joshua lived with his father.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots and screams as Joshua fled from the home, collapsing on the street in front of their shared residence. Investigators were on the scene within minutes of the shooting.
The suspect in the shooting was identified as Joshua's father, 61-year-old Joseph T. Effertz. It was Joseph who called 911 to report that he had shot his son. He was taken into custody at the scene without incident and later booked into the Anoka County jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. Authorities indicated that he was cooperating with the investigation.
According to reports, the altercation began when Joshua entered his father's room looking for a videotape. Joseph told investigators that he believed his son was on drugs at the time. This led to a heated dispute that ended with the elder Effertz grabbing a gun and shooting his son. He reportedly told authorities that he "kept shooting until I couldn't shoot anymore." The Anoka County Attorney's Office subsequently charged Joseph Effertz with second-degree murder. Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo described the event as a "horrible tragedy" resulting from "family dynamics."
