Authorities have announced that a man killed at Interstate State Park in Wisconsin on Tuesday evening was Peter S. Kelly of St Croix Falls, WI. Kelly was the 34-year-old father of five children under the age of nine.  

The Polk County Sheriff’s Department is asking the public to help identify three men who were involved and fled the scene in two vehicles.

According to the sheriff, two groups of fishermen began arguing with the three men about 6:30 p.m. while fishing on the Minnesota side of the river. The argument continued for three hours until 9:45 p.m., when the two groups confronted each other, and one man was stabbed to death. The victim was a resident of St. Croix Falls.

“In the brief physical confrontation that occurred, one of the two men who had driven to the Wisconsin side was stabbed with a knife by one of the group of three men. The victim died at the scene, moments later. The three men immediately fled the area,” the sheriff’s statement read.

The three males involved were fishing on the Wisconsin side of Interstate Park between 6:30 and 9:45 p.m. All three are believed to be white males in their late teens or early twenties, and are thought to be friends traveling in two separate vehicles with Minnesota license plates.

One vehicle is described as a blue Chevrolet S-10 pickup, standard cab, with a tonneau-style cover over the bed. The other vehicle is vaguely described as a mid- to small-size passenger car. “The third male and a dog named Gunner fled the scene in the Chevy S-10 pickup. Gunner is described as a golden retriever, yellow lab or similar breed.”

Additionally, police would like to speak with a group of five people who were in the area that evening. They were not involved, but may have witnessed the arguments and the suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Polk County Sheriff’s Department at 715-485-8300.

Follow updates to this story via the Osceola Sun newspaper.

Update: A fundraising campaign has been started to help Kelly’s wife and children.

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