High school teacher fatally shot; 19-year-old in custody

MAHTOMEDI, Minn. (AP) - A suspect was in custody Sunday following the fatal weekend shooting of a popular high school teacher in suburban St. Paul.

David Frigaard, 46, of Roseville, was fatally shot early Saturday in Mahtomedi. The Washington County sheriff's office responded to a call of shots fired around 3:15 a.m. When deputies arrived, they found Frigaard dead from a single gunshot wound.

Police said they have a 19-year-old suspect from Pine Springs in custody, but authorities said they would not release any more information about the case before Monday.

Frigaard was an art teacher at Park High School in Cottage Grove, in the South Washington County School District, the Star Tribune reported (http://strib.mn/1ySZHcU ). He also owned Frigaard's, a bar in Willernie, a small city surrounded by Mahtomedi.

His family declined to comment Sunday.

The school district said Frigaard was hired by the district in August 1999 and was a longtime art teacher for secondary schools across the district. Most recently, he was at Park High School for four years, but also had been a girls' track coach, assistant football coach, and middle school football and basketball coach, according to the district.

Principal Kerry Timmerman said Frigaard will be "greatly missed by all."

"Dave was a respected and valuable member of our staff. He was a talented teacher that enjoyed providing opportunities for students to display their artwork, both at Park and in the greater community," Timmerman said in the district's statement.

The school is preparing to provide counseling for students and staff when they return to school Monday.

The sheriff's office is investigating the shooting with help from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Ramsey County medical examiner's office.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com