A 72-year-old Minnesota grandfather is facing attempted murder charges after police say he shot his teenage grandson in the back over an unfinished chore — and threatened to shoot the boy’s mother too.
“When is your son coming home so I can shoot him?” — Jonathan Boyd Berg, 72, allegedly told his daughter roughly an hour before the shooting.
Jonathan Boyd Berg, 72, of Merrifield, Minnesota, is now behind bars after deputies say he shot his 18-year-old grandson with birdshot — all because the teen had not stored a fish house as instructed. Berg has been charged with attempted murder, three counts of assault, and reckless disregard.
According to a criminal complaint reviewed by police, deputies from the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched on May 3 after receiving a report of a shooting at a residential address. When they arrived, the victims — a woman and her teenage son — had already fled to a nearby Dollar General store.
A dispute over a fish house
Investigators say the trouble started when Berg grew agitated that his grandson had not stored a fish house — a type of portable ice-fishing shelter. The situation escalated into a verbal confrontation, during which Berg allegedly struck the teenager in the mouth. The boy hit back, and Berg then allegedly threatened to shoot the boy’s dog.
After the boy’s mother stepped in, the teen and his brother left the home to go fishing in order to defuse the situation.
‘Two gallons of Windsor whiskey’
Police say that while the boys were gone, Berg began drinking heavily. His daughter told investigators he had consumed approximately two gallons of Windsor whiskey over the preceding few days. That evening, she said Berg made his intentions explicit, stating he was going to shoot her son when he returned home.
At around 9 p.m., the teenager came home. Shortly after he and his mother exchanged a few words, she reportedly heard a gunshot and the sound of shattering glass — followed by her son’s cries of pain. She turned to find Berg sitting on his bed, reportedly holding a smoking shotgun.
‘I’ll shoot you too’
When the mother confronted Berg, demanding to know why he had shot her son, Berg allegedly replied: “Shut the f— up, I’ll shoot you too.” She grabbed her son and the two fled the residence, driving to the Dollar General where deputies later found them.
The 18-year-old was found with a pattern of injuries to his back consistent with birdshot — a type of shotgun pellet typically used for hunting small birds or game. He survived the shooting.
Berg is currently held at the Crow Wing County Jail. His next hearing is scheduled for May 14, 2026. Charges against him include attempted murder, three counts of assault, and reckless disregard.
