A Minneapolis man attacked five people inside a residential mental health facility, killing one man and assaulting four others with weapons that included a fork, a firewood log and a lamp post, according to charges.
Derek Duane Faulkner, 31, faces one count of second-degree murder and four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to the complaint, officers responded to multiple 911 calls at about 6:36 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026, from a mental health facility in Minneapolis. A staff member told dispatch that Faulkner had attacked three people, was attacking another person with a fork and was “making threats to kill everyone.” When officers arrived, they found Faulkner with blood on his hand and powdery stains on his clothing, which were later determined to be from a fire extinguisher.
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While being handcuffed, Faulkner said, “I think I killed someone.”
On the second floor, officers found the first victim, an adult male, inside his room. The victim was covered in white powder and had significant lacerations and blunt force injuries to his face. Officers saw what appeared to be blood spattered throughout the room. Emergency medical personnel transported the victim to HCMC, where medical personnel noted internal injuries presumed to be from fire extinguisher chemicals. The victim died at about 12:58 a.m. on September 29.
Investigators identified four additional victims. The second victim, an adult male, suffered a laceration to his forehead that required stitches. A staff member told investigators that the second victim had run downstairs around 6:00 a.m. with a bloody face, saying he had been attacked in his sleep.
The staff member, identified as the third victim, said Faulkner approached him from behind, put him in a chokehold and stabbed his arm with a fork. The staff member escaped and locked himself in an office. He saw Faulkner go to a fireplace, grab a log and go upstairs.
A fourth victim told investigators he woke up to Faulkner entering his room, hitting him with a firewood log and saying he was going to kill people. The fifth victim, an adult female, reported that Faulkner entered her room and struck her in the head with a lamp post.
The complaint says Faulkner has a pending attempted murder case and a civil commitment in Sherburne County, as well as pending fourth-degree assault charges in Anoka County.
The charges were filed Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court. Bail was set at $1 million.
About This Charge
In Minnesota, murder charges fall under three degrees: § 609.185 (first-degree murder), § 609.19 (second-degree murder) and § 609.195 (third-degree murder). First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence; second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years; third-degree up to 25 years. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission publishes guideline ranges that judges follow unless they state substantial and compelling reasons on the record to depart.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 44 other cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
