MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Charges are expected to be filed against the New Brighton, Minn. man accused of shooting at a couple who lived across the street.
After a heated dispute, police say 57-year-old Neal Zumberge fired shots at his neighbors, killing one man and sending a woman to the hospital. The victims’ names have not been released.
Residents nearby called police around 8:30 p.m. Monday to the 2500 block of Knollwood Drive in regards to the neighbor dispute. Upon arrival, police found the man already deceased and the woman with gunshot wounds.
Investigators say the argument was over feeding deer — the male and female victims lived together and had a history of arguments with one of their nearby neighbors. The series of arguments — and police visits that sometimes accompanied them — were well known in the neighborhood.
Word spread for years along Knollwood Drive that a problem existed between two neighbors who lived across the street from each other.
“Did I really think it was going to come to this? No,” said fellow neighbor, Cathi Williams.
Zumberge didn’t want his neighbors feeding deer in the front yard and the argument escalated from there.
On Monday night, Zumberge allegedly began shooting at the victims, outside their home, killing one and injuring the other.
Zumberge called police and turned himself in within an hour.
He is currently at Ramsey County Jail, facing charges for murder and attempted murder.
New Brighton Police Chief Bob Jacobson said his crews had been called to their residences before. He said in this case, they did use SWAT entry to make sure no one else got hurt.
“Our responses has been to try and mediate disputes that have been going on in that neighborhood, try to makes sure we’re able to keep the peace,” he said.
The female victim had a restraining order against Zumberge — one Jacobson said he’d violated at least once before.
“We do everything we can in the scope of our ability and our authority. Certainly, if we’d be able to prevent a tragedy like this, if there was some way to do that, we’d certainly do that,” Jacobson said.
Neighbors are dumbfounded that something so senseless has now ended one man’s life. They say they wish it could have been stopped.
“Who would let deer get in the way? To take a life over that?” Williams said.
A man who answered the door at Zumberge’s home, but who would not identify himself, had this to say about the situation: “I do not regret what he did but they’re f—ers. They’re swamp people. They don’t deserve our respect.”
