Investigators: Ham Lake road rage report 'fabricated'
HAM LAKE, Minn. (KMSP) - A 21-year-old Elk River, Minn. man is in critical condition after being shot in the chest, according to Commander Paul Sommer of the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.
The initial 911 call came in at 7:20 p.m. as a possible road rage incident between two vehicles in the area of northbound Highway 65 and Constance Boulevard.
Emergency crews took the victim to Mercy Hospital where he immediately went into surgery.
Along with the victim, there were two other people in the vehicle, a 31-year-old from Ham Lake and a 20-year-old from Zimmerman. They told police the victim was allegedly shouting at a driver in a different vehicle while they were on Highway 65 when he was shot. However, after reviewing MnDOT cameras, officials say there is no evidence that supports their story and it was made up.
"What I can say is the evidence that we are discovering is not copasetic with what’s being reported," said Sommer.
In a news release, the Anoka County Sheriff's Office stated, "as the investigation unfolded, it became apparent that the road rage story had been fabricated. We can now confirm, that no road rage episode took place."
Officials say the victim was a passenger in the vehicle when he was shot, but it is still under investigation how he was shot.