A Minnesota store clerk and “fixture” of the neighborhood was killed Friday when a deranged customer drove a golf club through his chest, police said.
Taylor Justin Schulz, 44, allegedly brought several items to the counter of Oak Grove Grocery, a small neighborhood store near downtown Minneapolis, just before 1 p.m. before launching the unprovoked attack.
Schulz impaled the 66-year-old employee — identified by the community as dancer Robert Skafte — “through the torso” with the club before fleeing the building, the Minneapolis Police Department said.
Neighbor Tony Gutoski, who happened to walk into the store in the immediate aftermath, said Skafte was conscious and alert despite the brutal injuries.
“He was speaking, he answered questions,” Gutoski told The Post.
“He told me the dude that came in earlier that was acting crazy and yelling about s–t came back and attacked him.”
Skafte was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Robert Skafte was killed after a customer drove a golf club through his torso. Facebook/Robert Skafte
Schulz was tracked down to an apartment across the street, where he had barricaded himself inside.
After a six-hour standoff with negotiators, the SWAT team, the drone unit and the bomb squad, the alleged assailant was taken into custody.
He was booked in the Hennepin County Jail on probable cause murder, records show.
Taylor Justin Schulz was arrested after a six-hour standoff with police. Minneapolis Police Department
Skafte was conscious after the attack but died at the hospital. Facebook/Robert Skafte
Skafte, a dancer, was remembered as a “fixture” of the neighborhood. kstp-news
A motive for the gruesome attack is still under investigation, but Gutoski claims Schulz was just “a f–king crazy person” who had called 911 before the attack demanding to talk to the FBI.
“It’s completely f–ked up,” Gutoski said. “[Skafte] was a really good dude, never hurt no one and this guy just ran him through with a golf club … He’s a fixture in the neighborhood.”
Skafte was an avid dancer and well-known in the theater community, neighbors said.
A memorial adorned with candles, flowers and photos was set up outside the grocery store Friday.
Source link: https://nypost.com/2023/12/09/news/minnesota-grocery-clerk-killed-after-man-impales-him-with-golf-club/