A teacher, a coach, a mentor and ally to LGBTI teens was the victim of a fatal shooting on Saturday (24 January).

David Frigaard, a 46-year-old who taught art at Park High School in Minnesota, was killed in Mahtomedi close to a bar he owned.

The Washington County Sheriff’s office has confirmed a suspect is in custody.

In the news release, they said authorities responded at 3.17am to a report of a gunshot in the area of Highway 244 and 75th Street. Frigaard was found dead in the area.

The 19-year-old suspect was arrested and booked into the Washington County jail pending homicide charges.

Frigaard was a married man, had three kids and had taught art classes for the past four years.

While no motive has been determined, with no charges made so far, unconfirmed social media reports suggested that Frigaard could have been killed because he ran the straight-gay alliance at the school. It has now emerged the teen had allegedly gone to Frigaard’s bar, and after being refused service, got angry.

As well as teaching art and helping LGBTI teens, Frigaard also served as an at-risk program teacher, and was a football, girls track and basketball coach.

‘Dave was a respected and valuable member of our staff,’ Park Principal Kerry Timmerman said. ‘Our condolences are extended to his family during this difficult time.’

Students have mourned Frigaard, calling him ‘amazing and inspirational’.

Park student Amber Fabeck said: ‘I’ve thought of everything and this still doesn’t make sense. He was too good of a person for this ending.’

The sheriff’s office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were investigating, with more details to be released today (26 January).