On Monday October 4th at approximately 2:00 a.m. the Farmington Fire Department responded to an odor of gas at a vacant building at the address of 1120 220th Street West in Castle Rock Township. This property was formerly a nursery and changed ownership in 2015. The Farmington Fire Department responded, located the gas leak and shut off the gas to the building.
Later that same day, the Dakota County Sheriff's Office received a call from the owner at the property and wanted to report damage. Deputies responded and took a report that included damage to the building garage door, a broken window, cut gas lines and cut electrical wires. The owner also reported tires dumped throughout the inside of the building. Deputies learned that the owner has not been at the property since August 27th therefore the date and time the damage occurred is uncertain. The owner reported that there is opposition to the proposal of ownership converting the property into a cemetery. We are investigating an allegation that the act was motivated by bias.
The Sheriff's Office continues to investigate this incident and asks that anyone who may have information leading to persons responsible contact Detective Fitzgerald at 651-438-4729.