Update 8/2/17 – The fatal shooting at a Public Storage facility in June has been ruled a case of self-defense by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Lacount won’t face any charges in the death of Luetzow, according to the source.
“We declined to charge Mr. Lacount because he raised a self-defense claim, which the investigation showed was valid,” said Hennepin County Attorney Spokesperson Chuck Laszewski.
The attorney’s office declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding the shooting or the relationship between the two men.
6/26/17 – An argument between two men at a Minnetonka, Minn., self-storage facility escalated into a fatal shooting on Friday morning. Thomas Edward Luetzow, 58, was shot in the head and neck just after 11 a.m. at a Public Storage location at 2825 Hedberg Drive, according to a source.
Officers were en route to investigate the dispute when they were notified that shots had been fired. When they arrived, they found the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, a source reported.
Police later arrested James Lacount, 65, without incident in connection with the shooting. They also recovered the gun used in the crime. Lacount is being held pending charges.
Though the investigation is ongoing, police aren’t looking for any other suspects, a source reported. Luetzow was identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office. Police haven’t disclosed what led to the shooting.
Based in Glendale, Calif., Public Storage Inc. is a self-storage real estate investment trust with interests in 2,354 self-storage facilities in 38 states. It owns approximately 155 million net rentable square feet. Operating under the Shurgard brand name, the company also has 220 facilities in seven European countries, with approximately 12 million net rentable square feet.
Sources:
- Lakeshore Weekly News: No Charges in Minnetonka Homicide
- Star Tribune: Police ID Man Fatally Shot at Minnetonka Storage Business
- The Patch: Fatal Minnetonka Storage Facility Shooting: Victim Identified
