A tragic incident unfolded early Saturday morning in Burlington Township, near Frazee, leaving a man dead following a shooting. The Becker County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene at approximately 1:20 a.m., where they found 31-year-old Arlan Ray Bergstrom Jr. of Detroit Lakes suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite life-saving efforts, Bergstrom was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities quickly identified and arrested Willis Charles McDonald, 31, a resident of rural Frazee, in connection with the incident. McDonald was apprehended at a residence south of Frazee in Ottertail County and is currently being held in the Becker County Jail as the investigation continues.
The Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Frazee Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Ottertail County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, has stated that this is believed to be an isolated incident with no ongoing threat to the public. Further details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting have not been released as the investigation remains active.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the incident to come forward as they continue to piece together the events that led to this fatal confrontation.