Information Release: Update to Kalmar Township Shooting

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office offers our deepest condolences to the family and friends of John Colbert, who have lost their loved one in this tragedy.

On Sunday, May 8th at 10:44 pm, Olmsted County deputies were dispatched to a shooting in the 5000 block CR 105 in Kalmar Township. Our investigation has led to the following events.

A suspicious vehicle arrived at the residence and parked in the driveway. Mr. Colbert’s son went outside and saw a male subject hiding by a shed on the property. The son returned to the house and informed Mr. Colbert. Mr. Colbert then retrieved a 45-caliber handgun from his residence. Mr. Colbert and his son exited the residence and began walking toward the detached garage. As Mr. Colbert approached the garage, William Shillingford was standing next to the garage in a shooting stance and fired three rounds toward Mr. Colbert. Mr. Colbert said he had been shot and returned to the house with his son. The son grabbed the gun from Mr. Colbert and fired two rounds toward Shillingford’s vehicle.

Shillingford ran from the residence in an easterly direction towards an unoccupied structure on an adjacent property.

Responding officers arrived and immediately began providing emergency medical care to Mr. Colbert. Additional officers arriving began setting up a perimeter and searching for the suspect.

Neighbors in the area heard the gunshots and were driving in the area, noticed Shillingford hiding in the ditch, and notified officers. Shillingford ran to a nearby residence and was apprehended by officers.

During the search of the unoccupied structure, a 9mm handgun was located in the building. As a result of the investigation, evidence including shell casings were recovered, consistent with the information at the scene.

Byron first responders and Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service had arrived and taken over medical care. Mr. Colbert was pronounced deceased at the scene at 11:24 pm. Mr. Colbert had two wounds on his body. He had a grazing wound on his midsection and a wound through his right forearm, striking an artery.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following agencies for their immediate assistance and response to this incident; the Rochester Police Department, Kasson Police Dept K9, Goodhue County K9, Minnesota State Patrol, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Byron Fire Dept and First Responders, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service and the Mn Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.