ELBA, MN – Authorities say a southeastern Minnesota woman fired multiple shots at her neighbor, nearly killing her, after reportedly harboring unfounded suspicions of violent crimes occurring next door.
Ava Leone Kock, 64, has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon following a shooting incident Tuesday night in the small Winona County community of Elba. Law enforcement responded to a 911 call just after 10 p.m., where they found evidence of gunfire and a seriously injured victim.
According to investigators, a 34-year-old woman was struck by bullet fragments while sitting in her Jeep, which had been riddled with bullets as she pulled into a parking lot near her home. The victim suffered significant injuries, including wounds to her eye and brain, but managed to contact a neighbor for help amid the chaos.
A witness at the scene recounted receiving a phone call from the victim, asking for urgent assistance. Upon arriving at the parking lot, the witness discovered the victim slumped in the vehicle with visible bullet damage to both the windshield and the driver’s door.
Detectives later determined that the Jeep had been shot at least seven times and traced the gunfire to an apartment occupied by Kock only a short distance away. When sheriff’s deputies interviewed Kock, she remained cooperative and allowed them to examine her residence.
Inside Kock’s apartment, deputies noticed several holes in a bathroom window screen that corresponded in size to the bullet holes found in the victim’s vehicle. Kock told deputies she believed the damage predated her occupancy, but further investigation raised doubts about her account.
The investigation took a turn the following day, when Kock called 911 requesting to speak with authorities about what she described as “possible homicides” in the area. She alleged that the victim and the witness, both neighbors, were involved in heinous crimes such as murder and sexual assault, claims for which authorities have found no supporting evidence.
Deputies stated that Kock insisted she heard the victim and witness “digging graves” in the basement and became convinced that criminal activity was ongoing in the apartment complex. Kock explained that she grew frustrated with what she perceived as inaction on the part of law enforcement and felt compelled to act herself.
Before opening fire, Kock admitted to deputies that she said a prayer, asking a higher power to “guide my bullets like you guided David’s rock,” and fired seven shots, drawing inspiration from biblical references to the number seven. After the shooting, she described feeling “at peace,” and showed little remorse for her actions, according to investigators.
Authorities say Kock attempted to hide evidence by stashing the rifle behind her stove and placing spent shell casings in a potted plant inside her apartment. Both items were subsequently recovered by law enforcement executing a search warrant.
Further interviews revealed that a nearby business owner had concerns about Kock’s behavior prior to the shooting, recalling an incident where Kock complained about noise and made ominous remarks about finding a way to “take out” the witness neighbor.
Kock was taken into custody and booked into the Winona County Jail, where she is being held on $500,000 bond. A district judge ordered a mental health evaluation to determine whether she is competent to stand trial. A court hearing in the case is set for Thursday as the investigation continues.