Stewartville, Minn. – A quiet southern Minnesota community was rattled early Friday when a teenage wrestler was shot in the parking lot of Stewartville High School, and an adult man, later found nearby, was dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. The harrowing incident unfolded just before 5 a.m. as members of the school’s wrestling team were gathering to board a bus for a tournament.
Parents and coaches remember what should have been a normal school trip turned chaotic with a single gunshot that echoed across the lot. Students were still climbing onto the bus when the first shots rang out, prompting coaches to rush toward the sound. There, they found one of their own, a male high school student, lying wounded on the pavement.
Emergency responders and law enforcement arrived swiftly. While coaches and paramedics worked feverishly to stabilize the injured teen, a second shot was heard. Deputies soon located an adult man nearby with a rifle, who had died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound.
The critically wounded student was rushed to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys in nearby Rochester, where he underwent immediate surgery. Family members say he remains in critical but stable condition, surrounded by loved ones and receiving ongoing medical care.
At a press briefing, Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson described the surreal scene, emphasizing the professionalism of staff who sprang into action. “Those coaches did a phenomenal job right from the get-go to help the juvenile victim,” he said, noting that roughly 40 students and coaches had been in the parking lot when the violence erupted.
School officials acted quickly in the aftermath, canceling classes at both Stewartville High School and the adjacent middle school for the day. Superintendent Belinda Selfors called it “an incredibly difficult day for our community,” urging calm and collective support while law enforcement continues its investigation.
Although the relationship between the shooter and the student has not been publicly confirmed and authorities have withheld names, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says it is actively probing the motive and connections involved. Families of students were safely reunited with loved ones on site, and emergency support services have been made available to students, staff and families in the days ahead.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Stewartville wrestling team withdrew from its scheduled tournament, and Friday night’s basketball game was canceled. Community leaders and residents have taken to social media to share condolences, prayers and support for the wounded student, his family and all those shaken by the early-morning violence.
