Man fatally shoots ex’s new boyfriend in Mankato: Charges

MANKATO, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man has been charged after he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and fatally shot her new boyfriend in Mankato. 

Mankato fatal shooting charges

What the charges allege:

Joseph Bulfer, 44, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count attempted second-degree murder, one count first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of first-degree burglary and one count of illegal possession of a firearm. 

According to the charges, on April 26, officers responded to a townhome in Mankato on reports of a loud bang coming from the home. 

While responding, officers on another call came with a person stating they had been shot with an AR15, and another person was dead.

The dispatcher told officers the suspect, later identified as Bulfer, had forced the woman who had called 911 into the shower, the charges state. 

Officers then entered the home and Bulfer emerged in the hallway, threw a rifle into the bedroom and raised his hands. As he was being cuffed, he allegedly said, "sorry for the inconvenience." And as he was being walked to a squad car he said, "Hey sorry guys. Didn't mean to get you out here today." 

Officers found a woman in the bathtub covered in blood with injuries, and a man shot to death on the ground, the charges said. 

911 call captures incident 

Dig deeper:

Dispatchers reported what they heard when the female victim called 911. 

On the call, Bulfer tells the woman she caused the other victim, a man, to die. She accuses Bulfer of fatally shooting the man. 

Bulfer continues to berate the woman by swearing and calling her names. He asks her if the man he fatally shot was "better than him." The woman asks Bulfer to stop, and he says, "Do you want me to pull the trigger?" 

Victim shares what happened 

What they're saying:

The woman told officers that she and Bulfer used to date briefly and broke up in December. She said her and the male victim had started dating and "Bulfer couldn’t handle it."

On April 26, Bulfer wanted to talk to the woman. She was at home watching a movie with the male victim, her new boyfriend, and the door was locked and the garage was shut, the charges said. 

According to the court documents, Bulfer had gotten into the home at some point and ran upstairs, opened the door to the bedroom and allegedly started firing his gun at the man. 

Bulfer then pointed the gun to himself, and said this was the woman’s fault, the charges state. 

Court documents say Bulfer then allegedly hit the woman several times. He made her get into the bathtub so he could "drain her blood." 

The woman was able to secretly call 911 while Bulfer was assaulting and yelling at her, charges said. 

What's next:

Bulfer’s first court appearance is set for May 7. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and the charges could be amended.