MINNEAPOLIS, MN – A harrowing attack at a small grocery store in Minneapolis’ Loring Park district on Friday afternoon left a cashier dead, according to local authorities. The Minneapolis Police Department reported that the assailant, a 44-year-old man, turned violent on the premises of Oak Grove Grocery on the 200 block of Oak Grove Street. Officers arrived at the Oak Street Grocery store around 1 p.m. following reports of a brutal assault.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara reported that the suspect had initially approached the store counter, appearing to make a purchase. The situation escalated when the man went behind the counter and attacked the cashier using a golf club. During the outburst of violence, the suspect impaled the grocery store worker.
The victim has been identified as a 66-year-old man named Robert Skafte. He was rushed to the hospital. Despite emergency medical efforts, Skafte ultimately succumbed to his injuries. On Saturday morning, a police spokesperson announced that Taylor Justin Schulz, 44, had been arrested on probable cause murder.
Police disclosed that detailed information from an eyewitness led to the arrest of the suspect. Schulz had barricaded himself in an apartment building across the street before being apprehended. Following an almost six-hour standoff involving negotiators and the police department’s bomb squad, the man was finally arrested without further incident. Crisis negotiators and SWAT teams were instrumental in facilitating his arrest.
In a public address, Chief O’Hara shared his condolences with Skafte’s family, recognizing the victim as a well-known and respected community fixture. The investigation into this horrific crime continues.