On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, a 41-year-old Minnesota man fatally stabbed his wife and 7-year-old daughter at an in-home daycare they operated in Hopkins, a Minneapolis suburb, before taking his own life. Police believe the tragedy is linked to the fatal stabbing of a 78-year-old relative in Burnsville earlier that day.
Tragedy at Brown Bear Childcare in Hopkins
Emergency responders arrived at the residential property in Hopkins on Wednesday morning after a parent walked in to drop off a child and witnessed the attack in the home’s basement. Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnson told reporters that the 41-year-old man used a knife to kill his wife and their 7-year-old daughter before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Six other very young children were inside the home daycare at the time of the violence. None of the six children were physically harmed during the attack, and authorities safely reunited them with their families.
“There’s no worse scenario than this, where you drop off your child somewhere you think is safe, and you get that phone call.”
Chief Brent Johnson, Hopkins Police Department
Burnsville Connection and Ongoing Police Investigation
More than three hours after the emergency call in Hopkins, law enforcement in Burnsville—located 20 miles away—discovered the body of a 78-year-old woman who had also been fatally stabbed. Burnsville Chief Matt Smith stated that investigators believe the two violent episodes are connected, noting that the suspect had been living at the residence of the elderly woman, whom authorities described as a close family relative.
Chief Johnson noted that establishing a precise timeline between the killings in Hopkins and the scene in Burnsville will require extensive investigation. Police have not yet released the identities of the deceased individuals, nor have they established a clear motive for the attacks. State records indicate that the residential facility had operated legally since 2019 under state licensing, maintaining a capacity of 10 children and passing compliance checks in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Community Shock and Regional Response
Neighbors near the brown two-story house, known locally for a distinctive garage door mural depicting a moose and a tree-lined lake, expressed profound disbelief. Amanda Marx, a nurse living across the street, told reporters she watched officers attempt to breach the front door before emergency tape cordoned off the property. Like many in the Minneapolis suburb, residents struggled to process an event of this magnitude in a neighborhood where violent crime is a rarity.
“I could see on the look on their faces that this was one of those ones that you’ll remember for your entire career, if not life.”
Chief Brent Johnson, Hopkins Police Department
The Unanswered Timeline and Next Steps
As investigators continue to process evidence at both properties, authorities emphasize that many operational questions remain open. Chief Johnson acknowledged that police have no prior record of disturbance calls to the Hopkins address, leaving investigators to rely on forensic evidence and witness interviews to reconstruct the hours leading up to the tragedy. Officials have not yet announced when further updates regarding the motive or the formal identification of the victims will be released.
