Bryant O. Garroutte, a 17-year-old from Columbia Heights, Minnesota, was tragically shot and killed on March 21, 2007. The incident occurred inside a duplex located on the 2700 block of 37th Avenue NE. Authorities were called to the scene at approximately 11:55 p.m. and discovered Bryant with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The shooting took place in a quiet suburb adjacent to northeast Minneapolis, leaving the community in shock.
The suspect in the case was identified as Bryant's
best friend, a 16-year-old boy whose name has not been disclosed. The two teenagers had been close friends for six years, having met in school. Following the incident, the suspect contacted his mother and confessed to the shooting. His mother then called an attorney, and arrangements were made for the boy to turn himself in to the St. Anthony police in downtown Minneapolis. The suspect was subsequently taken into custody and held at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center.
Attorney Lee Wolfgram, representing the suspect's family, described the shooting as an accident. He stated that the suspect was extremely distraught and in tears over the incident. The police had not yet determined whether the shooting was accidental or intentional, and the medical examiner's office had not declared a manner of death at that time. The investigation was ongoing, with authorities seeking to understand the full circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
The community, including neighbors and relatives, expressed their disbelief and sorrow over the incident. Beth Peterson, a nearby resident, remarked on the unexpected nature of such a tragedy occurring in their neighborhood. Cory Donicht, a relative of the suspect, emphasized the close friendship between the two boys and the difficulty faced by both families in the aftermath of the shooting.
