One Man Killed ‘Execution-Style’ After Alert of Armed Person from Trail Cam Hits Cabin Full of Hunters

Shortly after being alerted to an armed person by a trail camera, one of a group of three hunters was killed following an unexpected and violent entry into their cabin.

In a tragic twist the alleged murderer, Kirk Edward Hazlett III, is the son of the man gunned down, Kirk Edward Hazlett II, KARE reported.

Hazlett II’s brother and another hunter at the cabin were witnesses to the unexpected act.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by KARE, the murderous incident unfolded Nov. 15 at a family hunting cabin in Hinckley, Minnesota.

The complaint stated that Hazlett II, his brother and another man were at the cabin while hunting.

A notification from a trail camera alerted them to an armed man present on the property. The man, later identified by police as Hazlett III, soon “busted through” the door and began firing, according to the witnesses.

One witness said Hazlett II was shot multiple times in the upper body, and, as the victim fell to the ground, the witness saw the son move over him for a final “execution-style” shot to the head.

The victim’s brother and the other man said they were able to convince the shooter to let them go in exchange for their phones. They ran to a neighboring property, where residents helped them call 911.

Hazlett III was arrested at his Cambridge residence shortly after the shooting. The Pine County Sheriff’s Office announced Hazlett III was taken into custody in a Nov. 16 post, but it did not identify the victim at the time.

Further documents detailing the deadly shooting that played out in the cabin were obtained and released by local media outlets.

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Kirk Edward Hazlett, III, has been charged with five felony counts including 2nd degree murder, kidnapping, and 1st degree burglary for shooting his father “execution style” at a hunting cabin in Hinckley MN.
No clear motive stated, other than they weren’t getting along. pic.twitter.com/aVPijavyEJ

— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) November 19, 2024

The father-son relationship was tense prior to the shooting, according to court documents.

Hazlett III had been removed from the cabin property for trespassing a month before the shooting. The measure was taken after a visit from law enforcement during a family dispute.

Witnesses said that when Hazlett III entered the cabin, he “entered with a mission.”

Hazlett III is now being held at the Pine County Jail. He faces five felony charges, including a count for second-degree murder, kidnapping and burglary.

He appeared in court on Monday.

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