Bradenton woman dies in murder-suicide at Sarasota veterinarian office, deputies say
A Bradenton woman shot and killed another person before turning the gun on herself at a Sarasota veterinary office Wednesday, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said.
Gunshots at KindVet of Sarasota Urgent Care were reported to Sarasota County dispatchers in a 911 call Wednesday evening around 5:11 p.m.
When deputies responded to the business at the 3900 block of Clark Road, they said they found a woman and one other person shot inside the business. The sheriff’s office did not publicly identify the victim.
Investigators announced in a news release Thursday evening that they have identified one of those women, 38-year-old Morgan Dana Kronstadt, as the shooter.
Kronstadt, a former employee of the business, entered through the front door and locked it from the inside before locating and shooting the victim, investigators said.
When deputies arrived, they say they found a locked front door and forced their way into the business, where they discovered both the victim and Kronstadt.
Two killed in Sarasota murder-suicide
The victim was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, according to a release, which also said Kronstadt was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the wake of the murder-suicide shooting, KindVet of Sarasota Urgent Care closed temporarily, according to a statement on the office’s website.
“We are absolutely devastated at the loss of life that occurred at our clinic this week. Our hearts go out to the families impacted by this tragedy,” KindVet of Sarasota wrote. “We are not able to comment on the details of the event and leave this matter in the hands of law enforcement. Please respect the privacy and well-being of our staff while we grieve the loss of life.”
The sheriff’s office said three other people were present at the time of the shooting but escaped out the back of the building uninjured before calling 911.
Dana Judge, a spokesperson for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, would not say whether the other people present during the shooting were customers or staff, citing Marsy’s Law, a Florida law that keeps the victims of a crime anonymous.
Deputies investigate mysterious Facebook post
A message reportedly from Kronstadt to the vet office’s Facebook page posted the same day as the shooting appeared to reference bullying, as well as personal and professional issues.
“This career is just so ridiculously hard to begin with. Then add having to deal with disrespectful clients and bullying from the people that are supposed to be your team. Please think twice before pushing someone so far,” the post read.
The sheriff’s office said they are still investigating whether the message was posted by Kronstadt and could not confirm whether the shooting and the Facebook post are related.
The post has since been deleted, the sheriff’s office confirmed.
If you or someone you know is thinking about self-harm, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. It’s available 24/7.
