While reading this I think it is only fair we ask Kirk his side of the story. I mean Brody was able to tell his. But wait Brody, a 16 year old kid took Kirk's life because he was "upset" UPSET? I am outraged. I am disgusted that someone was raised with such little morals that he thinks picking up a pole and hitting another human being in the head is justified, because he was upset. First of all what kind of mother calls her son to bring him into the issues she is having with her boyfriend. She is the one in the relationship and her son should have no part in what goes on. If something is wrong in her relationship, then she should be the one to fix it. And Brody was upset that Kirk took his mom and got her drunk? Again, are you kidding me? I am pretty sure that Sharee is an adult making her own choices, and Kirk did not put that drink into her hand. That shows a lot about what kind of person she is. Let's not mention the fact that no one knows what really happened. You make Kirk out to look like a bad guy, because Brody and his mom say? Let’s ask his 5 year old daughter what she thought of him, or how about his mother and father who have to bury their 33 year old son. I mean if everyone has the right to voice their side, then let's ask the people who lost someone that they considered a friend, a daddy, a son, a brother, a family member, a loved one. Let's ask the people whose feeling should really matter. Kirk may have made mistakes, we all do. "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future” but NO one had the right to take justice in to their own hands. No one has the right to take another life. And this kid was trained in boxing. He knows good discipline from bad. He knew what he was doing, and he makes me sick. He deserves to be tried as an adult. And he deserves to sit and think about what his did every day for the rest of his life. Because when all is said and done, he took the life of someone that did not deserve to leave this earth. Stop making Brody out to be the victim. He killed a man, and deserves to be punished for that. Let the people who have lost Kirk grieve him. Let them figure out a way to cope with their loss. Respect them. When you have doubts on if Brody should be charged as an adult, think of the 5 year old little girl who will never have her dad to say good night or he loves her, or he is proud of her. Think of her, the true victim in all of this.

As you all know where focasing all on Brody Bermels homicide against Kirk Anderson. Has anybody stop to think about the family and the victim that Kirk Anderson left behind in 06' by the name of Sean Humphrey. What about his family and their loss. What did Kirk Anderson ever learn in what he caused his victim. It seems like alcohol has played a big roll in all of these tragic events. I'm not saying what Bermel did was right even though I knew him from highschool very well. I also knew Sean Humphrey and spoke to him a few days before he died. He also had a drinking problem. But he was a great man and had a lot of potential. I wondered why Kirk Anderson didn't learn from that tragic event and surrond himself with better people. Hate to say this but what Kirk did to Sean came back on him. The ones that pay the heavy price are the mothers of these victims. I hope Brody can try and fix this with in himself and as tragic as it is for all familys involved Bermel will probably lose his life to prison. I see no winners in all three of these incidents. The most anthing anyone can do is pray for all the familys involved. They all have a lose of there own too deal with. My prayers go out to all the family with a loss. Some day I hope Chaska can clean themselves up and help all of these teenagers and there drinking problems before we see more tragities like these.

AS in response to "Faraway". You mentionioned that it wasn't Kirk's fault that Sean Humphrey died. I do agree about him drinking that it was Sean's fault for actually doing that. But it is Kirk's fault that Sean died becuase he supplied the alcohol, then through him out of the party. But on top of that he had barly any clothes on and the weather was below xero. What kind of person does that. If you ask me both Anderson and Bermel are as cold hearted as the other. It sounds like to me you need to step back and see it for what it really is. Kirk and Bermel lived in surrounded themselves with disgracful people. Which ultimatly causes tragities like these. I am sorry for everyone's loss. But people need to grow up and live responsibly. As far as I'm concerned Kirk Anderson and Bordy Bermel are one in the same type of people.

OK ROxYLOV3R, I hope your perfect. I wouldn't want something to happen to you and some skeletons come out of your closet after you die and everyone is talking trash about you. I tried to look at it from all points of view, but I think you are still forgetting that he did drink the beer, and people can call cabs, or go to convenience store, or bar, or somewhere instead of walking around drunk. And when you say they are they same kind of people, what do you mean? If you knew Sean well that is one thing, but to say you really know Kirk is another. You know him from a choice he made and if you noticed I haven't even commented on the person responsible for taking Kirk's life. I don't know what this kid was like, and he is still a kid. I'm not sure how his life has been growing up and why he decided to do what he did, but he made his choices, they all did and I'm not going to argue with some stranger about Kirk's death when I can't do anything about it and it's all I think about all day long. I don't have the energy for that to be a person that is going to judge everyone, because it's not my place. I'm just saying in life choices are made by all. When a group of people all make bad choices, this is the end result.

Hey, zip it! folks.
Like faraway said, in her own way, it's time to "zip it" (if you can't add something constructive, if you are going to over-generalize, if you lack judgement).
It's good that these stories are in the news. We all can learn from them.
But, i'm not sure that these comment threads are constructive overall.
THE BEST TO EVERYONE THAT HAD A PERSONAL LOSS

In response to ROxYOV3R
My such harsh words to be spoken of the deceased! I am not from Minn and I don't claim to know the case involving Humphrey's death. However, as individuals we all make our own choices and if Kirk hadn't supplied the alcohol someone else would have. I know for a fact that teens will get alcohol if they want it even if they have to pay a stranger on the street to buy it for them. So on that note let's stop looking at a case that was handled by the justice system. It would appear that this teen was a trained boxer and knew his strengths but he choice to take the life of another. I hope he didn't make that decision based on his age making him immune from his crime. The Federal Justice System changed the age from 16 to 15 in cases of teens because lets be honest-teens are out of control and it is time they are held accountable. Hats off to our federal justice system for making teens accountable for their violent actions. I am sick of all the violence in the world and a staggeringly high number of violent crimes are commited by teens under 19. I have no sympathy for individuals who take the law into their own hands.

It appears that this "teen" and his mother are quite well known for their prior reputations. While I cannot condone the actions taken by either, I am not surprised they are caught up in this. My heart goes out for both families. I can only hope the justice system in Chaska sorts out the true facts of this case, and issues the necessary punishments for both. It is my opinion that they both knew what they were doing.

Dear Faraway, Please accept my condolences for your loss. Do not feel guilty as you had no control over what happened. I speak from experience with the people involved. There is nothing you could have done, and Kirk made the choice with whom he was involved with. Had he really known the truth about whom he was dealing with, would he have still associated with them? Only he knows the answer to that question. The whole thing is very tragic for everyone involved. As stated earlier, I can only hope the truth will finally be known about what really happened that night, and you will find closure in it somehow.

Honestly, Mr. Anderson here was not the victim. If he had not assulted His girlfriend (the mother) Mr. Bermel would NOT have assulted Mr. Anderson. If Mr. Anderson had gotten help with his issues before hand and continued with it maybe he would have been a more stable person. I've seen Mr. Andersons own criminal record (which is public information) and a good majority of things are alcohol related. Which obviously shows the behavior he portrays was definately around BEFORE this incident even occurred. I'm ashamed of anyone who blames the mother and is making Mr. Anderson look like he's TOTALLY innocent. Obviously people in chaska are too obsorbed with their own little narrow-minded ways of thinking to realize the reality of this situation was a pure case of self defense. When the REAL truth comes out I hope you all feel ashamed for even THINKING about labeling this Mother and her son as "Bad People who can't make good choices". You all OBVIOUSLY have no idea what an abusive relationship is like. And for those of you who are prejudging them because of the fact they live in a Mobile Home Park need to grow up. I live in the same park (no where near them however) and honestly, if you people are so shallow that you're going to judge someone because of where they live instead of actually getting to know the person you have no moral value AT ALL. How dare ANY of you subtype her, her son and any other person in this park as "trash" or whatever else you might have to say because we live here. Unlike some of you people, based on what you've wrote must obviously have no clue what this park and the people in it are like. This isn't Northeast Minneapolis people, this is Chaska and just because someone whose son was defending his mother lives in a mobile home park, does NOT make them trash.

On another note, this story is ABSOLUTELY one sided right now making Mr. Anderson look like some complete angel who died innocently without a past, which sorry to TRUTHFULLY inform you, was not the case. So instead of opening your mouth to say something COMPLETELY stupid and/or not ligitament at all to this case I would suggest to STOP believing EVERYTHING you hear/see on the news because quite frankly, NOT ALL of the FACTS have been released yet. So in all honesty if i were you, i would think about all sides and senarios of this case before you pop-off with something totally irrelavent.

Well by your user name being perfectionbby you must think you are pretty special. You are saying it is totally one sided? I am sorry but I believe the mother was drinking that night too, isn't that why she called her son? They were both drunk and neither one of them should have been driving. Your calling out on us because we are friends of Kirk or family and trying to defend him because as you know he can't tell his side of the story anymore because he is DEAD! So we are left here to defend him and I believe personally from my point of view what I have commented on towards the other family involved is nothing personal just a stereotype of trailer parks. If you read what I wrote I said not everyone that lives in a trailer park is bad or has problems. It sounds to me like you are being one sided by defending the mother and the boy. What do you really know about Kirk? Has he ever held or played with your kids? Did you have nice phone conversations with him or hang out with him ever? You don't know him, so stop saying things like you do. Let's think about this. Brody says he called 911. If that is the case and the cops were on the way, why not remove yourself from the situation and go to a neighbors for help. Brody had other choices in this, so did the mom, so did Kirk. OF course we will all take our sides and we have a right to. My constitutional rights are there for me to comment on this tradgedy and I nor you could control what anyone involved in this did. You say you live in the same mobile home park, (but no where near them however.) It sounds to me if you almost don't want to associate yourself with that either. And what are you trying to say about Northeast Minneapolis, sounds like your judging those people for where they live. Also I don't think anyone is trying to portray Kirk as an angel. I think if you read all comments, anyone that is defending him is still saying they know he had his problems. I also believe that every news story you read or hear will state at the end of it that Kirk was also involved in another high profile case in Chaska about the death of Sean Humphrey. So let me ask you how is that making him out to be an innocent angel. The only innocent angel is his 5 year old daughter that will never see her dad again. And as far as moral value, I haven't commented on the mother and kid because I don't know them. Also back to what I said before about knowing Kirk. If you had any moral value you wouldn't be dropping your comments about Kirk and what you think you know because that means you have no morals and never got to know him. Take your own advice, please! Oh, and I don't think anyone above called you trash or the mother and her son that, I believe those are your words to swallow. There must be some insecurity on your part about where you live to get so defensive about it. If you really like it there, be proud of it and tell us all how great it is, please?

I am the father of Sean Humphrey and reading the comments about this story has troubled me.

I first want to offer my sincere and deepest sympathy to Kirk's family. Losing a son, brother, father, or loved one is a loss that cannot be described and you have my thoughts and prayers.

I also want to state that whatever the role Kirk and others had in Sean’s death, both my wife and myself have forgiven them. Several of them were indeed punished for furnishing the alcohol and ultimately Sean is the one who drank and then suffered the ultimate consequence for his action.

What has prompted me to comment is that again drugs or alcohol seems to be at the root of another tragedy in our community.

Within the last few years, the murder of Nancy Everson, the death of Sean, and now possibly Kirk had drugs or alcohol as a contributing factor.

It saddens me that as a community and a society we are not changing our behaviors and learning any lessons from these events. People need to be aware of their limitations and be responsible not only to themselves but friends and family. Then when needed, we should to take action when a friend or family member is abusing drugs or alcohol. I think of the DWI’s, domestic abuse, and accidents that occur daily because of drugs or alcohol abuse. We all have a responsibility to help curb this outbreak.

I have not talked to Kirk in over a year and a half and cannot speak to any part of his life, but now he is gone and the lives of his family and the lives of Brody Bermel and his family are changed forever. Comments about this event that demean others and cause strife are counterproductive and hurtful. Let’s instead offer our support, sympathy and prayers to the families and take stock in our own lives to make sure tragedies like this do not happen again.

Bob Humphrey

First I would like to say to those of you so filled with venom towards Brody, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." I don't know Brody, but I know his mother, and I knew Kirk. I had come to think of him as a friend, and I will miss him. I also know that he was an angry man. A 6'2" angry, powerful man with too much to drink, threatening to kill a 16-year-old boy. A boy protecting himself and his mother. No, Kirk did not deserve to die. He did, however, fall victim to the consequences of his own choices. Before you condemn Brody, maybe you should wait to hear the details, instead of a little first article newsprint. I mean, God knows the newspaper is always right. Kirk had a lot of rage, and it tended to come out when he drank too much. The saddest thing about that is that he had been trying to stop. He was doing quite well for a while. He was also on some relatively heavy medication for an injured back. 1 or 2 drinks, which is what he had been trying to limit himself to, may have hit him like a ton of bricks. To all you self-righteous uninformed, bloodthirsty fools, "Judge not, lest ye be judged in return." To Kirk, I hope you've found some peace. Goodbye my friend. To Brody, I'm not sure what to think. A man is dead by your hand, but I don't believe you meant to kill him. I can only hope for justice, and only God can decide what is truly just. Justice is what I will pray for. To Sheree, try to be strong. We miss you at break time. I understand what you've lost(to some extent) and my heart weeps for you. Come visit when you're up to it. To Kirk's family, I'm sorry for your loss, but I think it's time you admit to yourselves that Kirk had reasons for his rage, and ask God for a little forgiveness of your own. God bless you all. His will be done.

since I am not from this area has there been any news on how this case is proceeding?

I still haven't been able to find out online if Brody is in fact being tried as an adult so does anyone in chaska know what came out of the hearing Oct 1st?

It has been almost 3 months since this has happened and i am sorry but my uncle is still dead! brody has taken from me something that is irreplaceable my only UNCLE! JR made bad choices but can you honestly say you have made all the right ones? JR had a big heart and none of you would know that cause you didnt know him! before you write anything think about his daughter, his nephew, and nieces. Have a heart. cause god knows this isnt easy for any of my family!

Too awilliams1163: Court was last week and we are waiting for the outcome as to whether Brody will be charged as an adult. I hope for the sake of the pain this has caused this outcome turns out right, not that anything is right with losing JR. I in all honestly dont think that Brody (or his mother) will ever know or care about the pain they have caused us. Hopefully we will know the results with in the next couple weeks!