Minnesota – In a harrowing incident in Minnesota that underscores the devastating impact of long-standing family disputes, a 31-year-old man, identified as K. Hazlett III, has been accused of executing his 62-year-old father, identified as K Hazlett II, at a remote hunting cabin. The episode, described by authorities as a cold and calculated act, left a community shaken and a family irreversibly fractured.
On the evening of October 13, 2023, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a scene described by a 911 caller as a critical shooting at a cabin. The caller, in a distressed state, indicated that two men had approached his home, claiming that Hazlett III had shot his father, Hazlett II, in the head. Upon arrival, law enforcement navigated a 1.5-mile dirt track to the cabin, where they discovered the elder Hazlett deceased, lying face down near a couch with nine gunshot wounds to his torso and head. The gruesome nature of the crime scene painted a vivid picture of the violence that had unfolded.
According to witness accounts provided to deputies, the tragedy unfolded rapidly after a motion-activated camera alerted one of the surviving victims, the brother of the deceased, to movement at the gate of their property. The alarm prompted him to retrieve his handgun, but before he could arm himself, Hazlett III forcefully entered the cabin.
The intruder, who was the son of the victim and who wasn’t getting along with his father, fired multiple shots upon entry. He then ordered the two witnesses, one of whom was his uncle, to remain seated on the couch under threat. According to police reports, one of the surviving victims told responding officers the elder Hazlett was still alive and “breathing a little bit,” when the son walked over to him and delivered a final blow to his head to “make sure” he was dead
Following the shooting, Hazlett III fled the scene, leaving behind a scene of terror and disbelief. He allowed the surviving witnesses to leave unharmed but took their phones to hinder immediate contact with authorities. The suspect was later apprehended at his home, where deputies identified his vehicle as the one used to travel to the cabin.
The background to this brutal act includes a prior disturbance at the same cabin, involving both the suspect and the victim, which had led to the son being trespassed from the property after a disagreement escalated during a night of drinking. Currently, Hazlett III is being held at the county’s jail with bail set at $3 million. He faces serious charges, including second-degree murder, burglary, and kidnapping, reflecting the severity of his actions and the tragic end to a fraught father-son relationship.
The local community and family members are left to grapple with the ramifications of this tragedy. Descriptions of the suspect’s calculated demeanor during the crime have added to the distress, emphasizing the premeditated nature of the murder. Family disputes, often simmering below the surface, have in this case erupted in the most tragic way possible, prompting reflections on the need for interventions in similar familial situations. As the case proceeds to court, the community watches closely, hoping for justice for the elder Hazlett and a resolution that might bring some solace to those affected by this appalling crime.
