Minnetonka shooting suspect released from jail, claims self-defense

MINNETONKA, Minn. (KMSP) - A Minnetonka man said he was defending himself when he shot and killed a 58-year-old man at a storage facility in Minnetonka Friday.

Police were called to Public Storage on Hedberg Drive around 11 a.m. Friday on reports of a dispute. Police say they were on their way to the scene when they received reports of shots fired.

58-year-old Thomas Luetzow of Minnetonka was killed in the altercation. The shooter has yet to be charged.

According to Matt Higgins, a spokesperson for the city of Minnetonka, the shooter was released shortly after being booked into the Hennepin County Jail, pending a case review by the county attorney’s office.

The suspect, a 65-year-old man from Minnetonka, told Fox 9 in a statement, “It was pure self-defense of myself and a storage employee. Thank you to everyone for their support and understanding.”

According to court records, Luetzow has a history of assault and disorderly conduct. In separate incidents, he assaulted neighbors in his apartment building after complaining that they were “too loud.”

The shooter in Friday’s incident says he called 9-1-1 as soon as Luetzow started yelling obscenities at him. But before police could arrive, the man was on his back being physically assaulted by the man.

The man shot Luetzow, who was pronounced dead at the scene.