A tragic workplace assault at a Cokato manufacturing facility has left one woman dead and a coworker behind bars.
According to the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 6 a.m. Tuesday, November 11, to a report of an unresponsive woman at Advanced Process Technologies, located in Cokato. Upon arrival, they found an adult female employee suffering from severe head trauma at her workstation.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by deputies and Cokato Ambulance personnel, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say her injuries appear to have been caused by a blunt force object, indicating a violent assault.
A coworker, identified as David Bruce Delong, 40, of Watkins, was taken into custody at the scene without resistance. The Wright County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Delong is being held pending formal charges as investigators continue to process evidence and interview witnesses.
Officials have not yet released the victim’s identity, pending family notification. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
The incident has shocked the small community of Cokato, where coworkers and residents are mourning the senseless loss.