'He was our whole world,' Burnsville family awaits answers in son's fatal shooting
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Savage police revealed that a teenager was shot in the same shopping center parking lot where he was discovered Friday night by emergency crews bleeding from the head.
The Hennepin County medical examiner identified the teen on Wednesday as 16-year-old Samuel Alvin Keezer. The medical examiner ruled the official cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death as a homicide.
"A senseless act," said Savage Police Chief Rodney Seurer. "Any call like that is very hard on our officers and our whole staff—this investigation took a little over four days and it was non-stop."
Investigators are not commenting on a motive or what led up to the gunfire, saying details will be shared later when criminal charges are finalized.
Keezer was a junior at Burnsville Alternative High School.
"He was our whole world… we don't know how to be without him… it's really hard," said Jody Keezer, the victim's mother.
Sam was the Burnsville couple's only child who loved listening to music, gaming, playing basketball and scary movies, and his dog, Fred.
"He was a really good friend," said Doug Keezer about his son's ability to make friends wherever he went.
Teen dies from shooting in Target parking lot; 3 in custody
Authorities responded to the 14000 block of State Highway 13 around 7:30 p.m. Friday after receiving a report of someone lying in the northwest corner of a Target parking lot.
Upon arrival, authorities found Keezer bleeding from the head. He was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center and died from his injuries on Saturday, according to authorities.
"We are obviously devastated because we have no idea why someone would want to hurt him," said Jody Keezer.
Newly obtained video by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS shows police and officers in tactical gear making their way into a Prior Lake home to make arrests in the homicide case
Three arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Taran Cortez Miller, 44, of Prior Lake has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder; Tanya Marie Esthell Miller, 43, of Prior Lake, was arrested on suspicion of aiding an offender and second-degree murder; and an unnamed 16-year-old from Prior Lake was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder.
All three suspects are in custody in Scott County Jail pending formal charges.
The Savage Police Department continues to investigate.