New Details on Shooting and Arrest at Battle Lake Trailer Park Released

Clinton Hunnicutt Jr. (OTCDF)

Battle Lake, MN – Court documents reveal more details about the shooting incident in the Battle Lake trailer park last Friday.

At around 4:38 p.m. on April 17, the Otter Tail County Dispatch received a report from the trailer park that a suicidal man had informed the caller that he was going to kill himself, and then they heard a gunshot soon after. Given the trailer park’s location near Tiny Tykes Childcare and the Battle Lake Public School, the Otter Tail SWAT Team was called in to assist.

When law enforcement arrived, they learned that the man, 67-year-old Clinton Hunnicutt Jr., had returned to his residence with the firearm. They also learned that he has prior military experience causing additional concern based on his knowledge and experience in firearms and tactics. Officers established a perimeter around the home and began evacuating neighbors.

Court documents say Hunnicutt walked out the door with a towel draped over his hands, but when officers ordered him to come forward, he yelled back, dropped the towel, and went back inside. Utilizing armored vehicles, law enforcement slowly closed in and approached the house, with officers informing Hunnicutt that he was under arrest and needed to surrender himself.

Officers say Hunnicutt came back out and sat on a chair. Law enforcement continued to give commands. He complied by showing officers that he didn’t have a gun in his waistband. Law enforcement again told Hunnicutt to surrender, otherwise they’d have to deploy K9 unit Jocko. Officers say Hunnicutt stood up and said he was going back inside. Law enforcement, concerned that he was going to retrieve a firearm, shot a less than lethal round at Hunnicutt, which appeared ineffective.

K9 Jocko was deployed to apprehend Hunnicutt, which it did by closing the distance and biting his left arm. Hunnicutt began punching the police dog in the head multiple times. Officers were then able to secure Hunnicutt and pull K9 Jocko off him.

Law enforcement located a spent shell casing outside of the residence. After receiving a search warrant for the home, officers located several firearms, including a Hi-Point 9mm pistol which was a caliber consistent with the shell casing located outside of the residence.

While in custody, Hunnicutt told officers that he and his wife had an argument, during which he grabbed the Hi-Point pistol and went outside. He said he fired the firearm into the ground and never threatened suicide.

Hunnicutt made his first court appearance Monday morning and has been charged with intentionally discharging a firearm in a school or park zone, recklessly using a gun in a school or park zone, threats of violence, obstructing the legal process, and assaulting a public safety dog.