ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — Two people are dead and four others are recovering from injuries after a vehicle plowed into the patio of a busy bar-restaurant in St. Louis Park.
Video footage and witness accounts reflect a man attempting to park at the Park Tavern at 3401 Louisiana Ave S. before driving into the patio with dozens of patrons sitting outside the main building.
A spokesperson for HealthPartners, which operates Methodist Hospital, confirmed Monday morning that nurses and staffers from the St. Louis Park facility are among the victims. Later Tuesday, Methodist confirmed that one of its employees was killed, adding that four nurses were injured in the incident.
"Our focus in the days ahead will be in supporting our colleagues and the loved ones of those affected by this tragedy," read a statement from Methodist Hospital and its parent company HealthPartners. "The close relationships our colleagues have with each other is part of what makes Methodist a special place."
In a GoFundMe, the employee was identified as Gabe Harvey, who was a Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) at the hospital.
"There was not a soul that Gabe met that he didn’t leave an impression on," a post on the GoFundMe reads. "He always had a smile and a kind word for everyone."
The other person who died is a Park Tavern employee, identified in a GoFundMe account set up to help her family as Kristina Folkerts, a mother of four.
Three other GoFundMe pages were set up for victims injured in the incident — Laura Knutsen, Tegan D'Albani and Theo Larson.
One witness said the driver struck the back of his vehicle before driving directly at the crowd, which was estimated at around 30 people.
Jail records indicate the 56-year-old driver was booked around midnight and is being held on probable cause criminal vehicular homicide. Charges in the case could come as early as Tuesday.
Operators of Park Tavern say the bar-restaurant will remain closed until further notice. By Monday morning employees had created a memorial of sorts using bar stools, chairs and t-shirts.
The Minnesota State Patrol is working to reconstruct the incident as St. Louis Park Police continue their investigation.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.