The quiet before dawn was shattered Friday morning outside Stewartville High School, where a former assistant wrestling coach is dead and a teenage student is clinging to life after what investigators describe as an attempted murder-suicide in the school’s parking lot. The shooting unfolded just as the day was beginning for dozens of student-athletes, turning a routine departure for a wrestling meet into a moment that will haunt this southern Minnesota community for years.
Deputies with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office were called to the campus shortly after 5 a.m., following reports of gunfire at the school, about 10 miles south of Rochester. When officers arrived, they found two people suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot, only feet from where school buses were preparing to leave.
At the time of the shooting, roughly 40 members of the Stewartville High School wrestling team were gathering to travel to a scheduled meet. Some students and coaches were already seated on the bus when a shot rang out. Moments later, a second gunshot echoed across the lot, sending confusion and fear through the group as they tried to understand what was happening.
Sheriff Kevin Torgerson said one of the wrestlers had been walking through the parking lot when the first shot was fired. Coaches quickly realized a student was down. The injured teen, a male student-athlete, was found lying on the ground and rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Family members later confirmed he remains in critical but stable condition.
A short distance away, deputies found an adult man with what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene and later identified as Logan Moyer, a former assistant wrestling coach with the Stewartville school district. Authorities confirmed Moyer had previously been terminated from his coaching role, though they stressed that the motive behind the shooting has not yet been determined.
“This is a very rare incident for our community,” Torgerson said, calling it an emotionally devastating day for students, families, and staff. Investigators are urging the public to avoid speculation as they work to piece together what led to the violence and how Moyer came to be at the school so early that morning.
Students were safely reunited with their families later in the day, and the district quickly canceled all activities, including scheduled basketball games. Counselors and support staff were made available at the school and throughout the weekend. Superintendent Dr. Brian Selfors told families that law enforcement found no ongoing threat and promised continued care for anyone affected as classes resume.
The shock rippled beyond Stewartville. Minnesota lawmakers, including State Senators Gene Dornink and Carla Nelson, released statements expressing grief, offering prayers for the injured student, and thanking first responders and medical teams for their swift actions. As the investigation continues, authorities say they remain in close contact with both families and plan to release additional information once more facts are confirmed.
