Man Murdered by Neighbor for Feeding Deer

[InTheLight]

It began with the animal parts. Then came the dead squirrels, apparently shot with a BB gun and tossed in the driveway, followed by dead birds. When the doe and fawn were found slain on a lawn, residents in the quiet New Brighton neighborhood began to realize they had a serious problem in their midst.

Shortly before 8:30 p.m. Monday, it got a whole lot worse.

That’s when police arrived at the 2500 block of Knollwood Drive to find 46-year-old Todd G. Stevens and his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Damerow Cleven, 48, on the ground in their front yard. Both had been shot, apparently by a neighbor who had once sent out a rambling, derisive note warning his neighbors about the risks of feeding deer. Despite lifesaving efforts, Stevens was declared dead at the scene. Damerow Cleven was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment. She was released Tuesday afternoon but said she was too distraught to speak with reporters.

http://www.startribune.com/local/east/258115851.html

 

[church mouse guy]

Incredible.

 

[Gina B]

Read about this in a few places - fifteen years of arguing.
I can understand that anger part of it when someone puts feeding deer in an area like that over common sense, especially if one ends up with a life threatening, life altering disease associated with the deer and the other person shows concern for the deer over their fellow humans.
You can't take another human life over it, but if someone harmed a family member of mine, or if I felt like crud for years over something my neighbor did, they didn't care, and continued doing it and risking the health of my family and other neighbors, I'd probably have to move before going insane...but I shouldn't have to. They should have enough human compassion to put humans ahead of deer.

 

[Don]

Read about this in a few places - fifteen years of arguing.
I can understand that anger part of it when someone puts feeding deer in an area like that over common sense, especially if one ends up with a life threatening, life altering disease associated with the deer and the other person shows concern for the deer over their fellow humans.
You can't take another human life over it, but if someone harmed a family member of mine, or if I felt like crud for years over something my neighbor did, they didn't care, and continued doing it and risking the health of my family and other neighbors, I'd probably have to move before going insane...but I shouldn't have to. They should have enough human compassion to put humans ahead of deer.

Haven't read the details; don't know the whole story. Was Animal Control called? How about police or Health officials? Did this guy explore ALL avenues of resolution before resorting to murder?

(not trying to justify it; trying to understand)

 

[InTheLight]

Haven't read the details; don't know the whole story. Was Animal Control called? How about police or Health officials? Did this guy explore ALL avenues of resolution before resorting to murder?

(not trying to justify it; trying to understand)

It's not illegal to feed deer in Minnesota.

The victim and his girlfriend had called police dozens of times to try to get the shooter to quit harassing them over feeding the deer. They called the police after dead animals were found in their yard, including two dead deer. They got a restraining order on the shooter's son, because he had threatened them. Apparently the guy did not explore any other avenues other than harassment.

More on this story:
http://www.startribune.com/local/east/258322291.html

 

[Revmitchell]

Why did he object to feeding the deer?

 

[InTheLight]

Why did he object to feeding the deer?

He claimed he contracted lyme disease from the ticks carried by the deer. The shooter wrote a rambling letter about it and distributed it to the neighborhood a couple of years earlier. Letter may be seen here:

http://stmedia.startribune.com/documents/Suspect's+letter+complaining+about+deer+feeding+(2).pdf