Cannon Falls Murder Suspect Called Authorities Before Shooting

Bail was set at a million dollars without conditions today for a 21 year old Cannon Falls man charged with killing his father. Cole Sidney DeGroot of 7874 365th Street Cannon Falls appeared before Judge Douglas Bailey through a remote hearing according to court records.

The Criminal Complaint in the case states, "On Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 5:01 p.m. the Goodhue County Sheriff's Dispatch sent multiple officers to respond to a residence at 33811 County 24 Blvd (Warsaw Township) Goodhue County, Minnesota for a threats complaint."

The complaint alleges dispatch advised officers that DeGroot phoned 911 and told dispatch, 'To send an ambulance in five minutes, because he was going to do something stupid and shoot his dad."  Dispatch added Cole DeGroot said, 'He was not going to put up with him (dad) anymore,' and hung up.

Dispatch called him back and he told them he shot his dad.

The Criminal Complaint goes on to say a Goodhue County Deputy called the son and said he sounded agitated and told him, "It's too late."  When asked what was going on Cole DeGroot told him he shot his dad.  The Deputy asked where he was and he replied, "I'm done, I'm leaving."  He then hung up.

Law enforcement took DeGroot into custody with no resistance and the complaint states he voluntarily made several statements about what had happened.  DeGroot allegedly said his dad was in the skid loader and that he was dead.  "Cole DeGroot also stated he shot Terry DeGroot in the rib area, left side."

Another deputy went to the skid loader about 5:12 p.m. and observed a shattered window on the left side of the machine while approaching from the back.  When he got to the front the deputy saw a male slumped over in the driver's seat with a large amount of blood pooling on the floor of the skid loader.

The man was identified as Terry John DeGroot, 55. of Cannon Falls.

Later in the evening investigators interviewed Cole DeGroot at the Goodhue County Law Enforcement Center.  He told them he went to the address between 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to assist his father with a job there.  They were cleaning out a washed in creek bed for the property owner.  Cole said he got stuck and Terry DeGroot began yelling at him for getting the skid loader stuck which angered him.

Cole allegedly told authorities his Dad constantly yells at him and he had enough.  He left on his bicycle and went to Terry DeGroot's residence about 3 miles away.  He went to the basement of the residence and got a .45 handgun which was laying out.  Cole stated the handgun was his dad's and he had shot it before.

While there Cole called his mom Diane DeGroot and told him he had enough of his dad yelling at him and he was going to shoot him.  He then placed the gun in his backpack and returned to the property where he and his dad had been working.

When he arrived at the driveway of the residence he told authorities he called 911 and told them he was going to do something  to his dad.

Cole went to where his dad's truck and trailer were located.  Terry DeGroot was cleaning the creek bed and drove over to where Cole was standing.

Cole told authorities his father was approximately 10 yards away, he raised the gun with his left hand and pointed the gun at Terry DeGroot while he was seated in the skid loader that was no longer running.  He said he only wanted to scare his dad, but the handgun has a hair trigger and it discharged.  He told the investigators he didn't load the gun and didn't know it was loaded.  He said there was a magazine loaded into the handgun.

The complaint says, "C. DeGroot stated that after the gun went off his father said, 'I'm dead.'  C. DeGroot left the area and did not check on his father and started heading back toward his father's house."

That's when he received the call from the Goodhue County Sheriff's Deputy and he told them it was too late.  He returned to the property and was arrested.

The next scheduled court date is Wednesday, September 2, 2020.

DeGroot has been charged with four felony counts. A charge of Murder in the 2nd Degree-With Intent-Not Premeditated.  Murder in the 2nd Degree Without Intent, Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree-Culpable Negligence Creating Unreasonable Risk and Assault in the 2nd Degree-Dangerous Weapon.