UPDATE: 5:07 p.m. NEW YORK MILLS — A 21-year-old Lund Boat employee is facing multiple felony charges following an active shooter situation Thursday, Feb. 9, at the company's manufacturing plant in New York Mills.
David Jeremiah Gadsden, 21, of Henning, was arguing with another employee, a 31-year-old man, when Gadsden pulled a small-caliber handgun and fired at him, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office.
The round did not strike the victim, and the victim was able to get away after Gadsden chased him outside, where another round was possibly fired, the release said. A Lund employee held the door to the building closed, blocking him from going back inside.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, another employee made contact with Gadsden outside, which caused him to flee, but Gadsden was caught and subdued by employees prior to law enforcement arriving on the scene, at approximately 7:20 a.m.
Gadsden was arrested, transported to the Otter Tail County Jail, and charged with felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, felony second-degree attempted murder with intent, non-premeditated, and felony dangerous weapon — intentionally pointing a gun. He was also charged with gross misdemeanor carry and possession of a pistol without a permit in a public place.
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Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons and New York Mills Police Chief Bobby Berndt said no one suffered any major injuries at the scene and only minor scratches were reported from the scuffle with the suspect. Law enforcement cleared the scene by 10 a.m.
“If it wasn’t for the quick actions of the staff here, it could’ve been a much different outcome,” Fitzgibbons said. “They intervened, they acted quickly, and as a result, we didn’t have any additional people shot at or injured. They did a fantastic job.”
During the incident, New York Mills Secondary School, which is next to Lund Boat Company, was immediately placed into a “soft” lockdown, said Blaine Novak, New York Mills Public Schools superintendent.
“Our building is always in lockdown, because we have controlled entrances,” he said at the time. “So, we’re just limiting the students leaving the building and we’re meeting people at the door.”
Law enforcement told school officials the situation at Lund was a “contained incident.” Besides an increased law enforcement presence at school entrances, classes were conducted normally.
“There was no reason for our school not to be in session,” Novak said. “There was never a threat here at the school.”
Agencies who responded to the scene included the Wadena Police Department, the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, the Perham Police Department, the New York Mills Police Department and other emergency medical services personnel.
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UPDATE: 1:29 p.m. NEW YORK MILLS — A 21-year-old man is in custody after a shooting Thursday morning at the Lund Boat factory in New York Mills.
The lone suspect, a Lund employee, was arguing with another employee when he pulled a small-caliber handgun and fired a round at the 31-year-old man, according to a news release from Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons.
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The round did not strike the victim, and the 21-year-old chased the other man outside, where he was able to get away, the release said.
Another round was possibly fired while outside. The suspect was not allowed back into the building, thanks to an employee holding the door, restricting access. Another Lund employee made contact with the suspect outside, and the suspect fled, but was caught and subdued by employees prior to law enforcement arriving.
The suspect was arrested and transported to the Otter Tail County Jail pending criminal charges. His name and address were not immediately released.
“Had it not been for the quick actions of Lund staff members, the outcome may have been much worse,” Fitzgibbons said in the news release.
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UPDATE: 12:02 p.m. — NEW YORK MILLS — An active shooter at a Lund Boat Company manufacturing plant in New York Mills fired one or two shots from a firearm before being subdued by employees at the facility on Thursday morning, according to multiple law enforcement officials.
At approximately 7:20 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, the Sheriff's Office responded to the boat manufacturing facility for a report of an active shooter at the plant. Prior to law enforcement's arrival, plant employees restrained the suspect.
Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons and New York Mills Police Chief Bobby Berndt said no one suffered any major injuries at the scene and only minor scratches were reported from the scuffle with the suspect. They added that the scene remains under active investigation and that further updates, including the name of the suspect who was arrested, will be released in coming hours.
"It is my understanding that (the shooter) was an employee," Fitzgibbons said. "There is still a lot we need to learn as far as maybe a motive, or the things that led up to it, and we'll continue to work on that throughout the day."
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Fitzgibbons said they believed one round was fired outside the building and one round was fired inside the building, but they are still working through the timeline.
"It appeared to be some sort of confrontation between employees," he said. "It didn't appear random."
He said there is no indication of any additional shooters associated with the incident and the name of the arrested suspect is expected to be released later in the day once the criminal complaint is filed. The suspect is being held at the Otter Tail County Detention Facility.
"If it wasn't for the quick actions of the staff here, it could've been a much different outcome," Fitzgibbons said. "They intervened, they acted quickly, and as a result, we didn't have any additional people shot at or injured. They did a fantastic job."
Two managers at a nearby Casey’s General Store said many people have been coming into the store and talking about the incident.
"We probably even know this guy, because the Lund people come in here nonstop," said one of the managers.
“It’s nerve-wracking," said Dustin Louukinen, a former Lund Boat Company employee.
New York Mills Secondary School is located right next to Lund Boat Company and was immediately placed into a "soft" lockdown, said Blaine Novak, superintendent for New York Mills Public Schools.
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"Our building is always in lockdown, because we have controlled entrances," he said. "So, we're just limiting the students leaving the building and we're meeting people at the door, so we're in a normal lockdown."
Classes were being conducted normally, he said, besides an increased law enforcement presence at school entrances. Law enforcement told school officials the situation at the neighboring boat maker was a "contained incident."
"There was no reason for our school not to be in session," he said. "There was never a threat here at the school."
Novak also commended the law enforcement response to the incident and said an officer was posted outside the school entrance immediately following the incident at about 7:30 a.m.
Law enforcement had cleared the scene by 10 a.m., and there was no visible activity in the compound's manufacturing buildings, while there were still people coming and going from the Lund headquarters building.
Agencies who responded to the scene included the Wadena Police Department, the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, the Perham Police Department, the New York Mills Police Department and other emergency medical services personnel.
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UPDATE: 9:28 a.m. — NEW YORK MILLS — Law enforcement continues to secure the scene of a Lund Boat Company manufacturing plant in New York Mills following the restraining of an active shooting Thursday morning by employees at the facility, according to an Otter Tail Sheriff's Office official.
No injuries were reported at the scene.
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The suspect was arrested and their name will be released as more information becomes available.
Law enforcement is expected to provide an update in coming hours, a sheriff's office official said.
Lund boats are the top-selling fishing craft in the Upper Midwest. Crestliner, another popular aluminum fishing boat, is also based at the Lund complex. Both brands are owned by Illinois-based Brunswick Corp., the largest maker of pleasure boats in the world.
Officials for Lund Boat Company are unavailable for comment due to the ongoing and active situation at the facility, one Lund employee said.
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NEW YORK MILLS — A person is in custody after an attempted shooting at Lund Boat Company in New York Mills on Thursday, according to an Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office press release.
At approximately 7:20 a.m. on Feb. 9, the sheriff's office responded to an active shooter at the plant. Prior to law enforcement's arrival, plant employees restrained the suspect.
No injuries were reported at this time.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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