Frazee, MN (KDLM) – A man who shot and killed a person in a trailer park in Frazee has been sentenced.
32-year-old Willis McDonald of Frazee has been sentenced to two months at the Becker County Jail and two years probation after a jury acquitted him of manslaughter, but found him guilty of knowingly shooting the victim and failing to render aid, leading to the victim’s death.
According to Becker County deputies, McDonald shot 31-year-old Arlan Bergstrom Jr. on August 10th, 2024 after Bergstrom had punched through McDonald’s car window and assaulted him.
McDonald told deputies that he had feared for his life and reached for his handgun. Bergstrom then also grabbed at the gun and McDonald fired, killing Bergstrom. McDonald left the scene while a witness that was in his car before the incident called 911. The witness confirmed McDonald’s story and said the two men did not know each other before the incident.
Deputies say that McDonald did not have a permit for the firearm, for which he was given a concurrent sentence.
