Authorities have charged a Zimmerman man following a brutal spree of violence at a Minneapolis mental health facility that left one person dead and four others injured early Monday morning. Derek Duane Faulkner, 31, is facing one count of second degree murder and four counts of second degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He is currently being held in the Hennepin County Jail on a five million dollar bond. According to court documents, police responded to the Nancy Page Crisis Residence shortly after 6:30 a.m. to find a scene of chaos involving various improvised weapons.
The details outlined in the criminal complaint paint a harrowing picture of the attack. Officers discovered victims who had been assaulted in their sleep, including one man who fled downstairs with a bloody face and another who was found covered in white powder. That individual later died from internal injuries caused by fire extinguisher chemicals. Investigators report that Faulkner used an array of objects during the rampage, allegedly stabbing a staff member in the arm with a fork before using a fireplace log and a lamp post to attack other residents. Upon his arrest, Faulkner reportedly told officers that he believed he had killed someone.
This latest tragedy is part of an alarming pattern for Faulkner, marking his third violent encounter with law enforcement in just over five weeks. In late August, he was charged with attempted murder and assault after allegedly shooting a coworker at Faulkner Machine Inc. in Zimmerman while appearing intoxicated. Only days later, he was accused of assaulting several medical staffers and a security guard while receiving treatment at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids under a medical hold.
As Faulkner awaits his upcoming court dates through November, the community is grappling with how such an escalation occurred across three different counties. Legal representatives for the deceased victim, identified as 23 year old Bryce Alan Hayes, have already begun investigating potential legal action against those involved. While People Incorporated, the operator of the crisis residence, declined to provide specific comments due to the active investigation, they stated they are cooperating fully with authorities to determine how these events unfolded within their facility.
