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The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Friday identified a 44-year-old rural Freeborn County man who shot and killed his mother Tuesday night before he reportedly texted a woman and told her what he had done.

Nathaniel Dewitt Bailey fled the house, at 21130 880th Ave. in Oakland Township, and went to Mower County after shooting his mother, Brenda Kay Krause, 66. He then led law enforcement on a chase in Mower County when officers tried to pull him over, according to a press release.

The BCA stated the chase ultimately ended back at the original house in Freeborn County, after which he exited the vehicle armed with a handgun. Officers discharged their weapons, striking him, and though medical aid was rendered, he died at the scene.

According to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, Krause, who was found deceased at the residence in a subsequent search of the property, died of gunshot wounds, with the manner of death ruled a homicide. Bailey’s cause of death was also gunshot wounds.

The BCA stated five law enforcement officers, most on the South Central Drug Investigative Unit SWAT team, discharged their firearms during the incident, and all have been placed on critical incident leave by their respective agencies, per standard protocol:

• Mower County Sgt. Katlynne Fisher, who has eight years of law enforcement experience.
• Steele County Deputy Sean Robbins, who has 11 years of law enforcement experience.
• Freeborn County Deputy Darik Weigel, who has eight years of law enforcement experience.
• Albert Lea Police Detective Sy Vanthavong, who has 24 years of law enforcement experience.
• Faribault County Sheriff’s Office deputy (name withheld due to undercover status)

According to the BCA’s preliminary investigation, the initial call to the house came in to dispatchers at 7 p.m.

BCA crime scene personnel recovered a handgun and spent cartridge casings at the scene. Portions of the incident were recorded by body-worn cameras.

The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office requested the BCA to investigate, and the investigation is ongoing. When complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation on charges to the Freeborn County Attorney’s Office for review.

Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik said he could not talk specifically yet about his deputies’ roles in the case, but noted, “The response and the coordination among the active and ongoing scene was very, very good. The response was within training protocols and directed to the safety of everyone involved and that was evident from the onset.”

Bailey has had a litany of criminal convictions, mostly in the last 10 years, with some dating back to 2002.

Convictions have included driving while impaired, disorderly conduct, obstructing the legal process, carrying or possessing a gun without a permit in a public place and ineligible possession of a firearm or ammunition while under an active order for protection. He has also been charged more than once with fleeing police, but those charges were dismissed.

Online court records state the county petitioned for a civil commitment for Bailey for chemical dependency as recently as 2024 but also in 2018. In 2018, his mother and Bailey’s stepfather, Orin Krause, also filed an eviction against him because he had not paid his rent to live at the home.

In September 2022, court documents state Bailey was in the Freeborn County jail and fell, requiring a deputy to transport him to the hospital for stitches. When a deputy returned to the hospital after the procedure was over to take him back to the jail, Bailey asked whether all of the chains on him were necessary and said he could get into the deputy’s car without them. He then went on to kick the deputy in the chest and hit his body camera. He continued to kick, head butt, scratch and bite the deputy and others who attempted to assist. At one point he also grabbed the deputies hand and began to scratch and twist his wrist. He was initially charged with fourth-degree assault on a peace officer from that case but pleaded guilty to obstructing the legal process.

Law enforcement stated they have responded to multiple calls at the residence.

The most recent was the day before the shooting of his mother when Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a report at 5:07 a.m. Monday from the residence.

The police blotter stated that the reporting party’s son had a gun at her forehead and that she had locked herself in her bedroom. A 19-year-old, 18-year-old and two young children were also in the house.

The reporting party stated she had a knife in self defense but stated the individual got the knife away from her while throwing her to the ground.

She denied needing medical treatment.

Logs stated at that time a KOPS (Keep Our Police Safe) alert was sent out, which notifies officers to be on the lookout for a potential officer safety issue regarding a vehicle or individual.

The Tribune has requested a copy of the full report, but the Sheriff’s Office stated it is part of the BCA’s active homicide investigation and cannot be released at this time.