Former New Albin man is victim of workplace shooting in Minneapolis

Jacob Beneke, formerly of New Albin, was among six people killed Thursday, September 27 in a workplace shooting that took place at a Minneapolis, MN sign company. Reports from the incident indicate an employee of Accent Signage Systems responded to being fired that same day by shooting the business owner, several other employees (including Beneke) and a UPS driver before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life.
Beneke, age 34, lived with his wife and son in Maple Grove, MN, and he worked as a digital imaging supervisor at the sign company during the day and as a painter and sculptor in his spare time. He was a 1996 graduate of Kee High School in Lansing.
In addition to his wife and his son, published obituary information states that he is survived locally by his parents, Bruce and Deb Beneke of Houston, MN, formerly of New Albin; his sister, Jessica (Jaimie) Waters of Waukon; his grandmother, Violet Beneke of New Albin; and many other relatives and friends. Funeral service were scheduled for Wednesday, October 3 at Evans-Nordby Funeral Home in Brooklyn Center, MN.
Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan said that Thursday’s shooting was the deadliest workplace shooting in Minnesota history.