A 20-year-old Minnesota woman was reportedly killed in an attack prosecutors said was carried out by a male coworker who said he “did not like her.”
In a criminal complaint filed last week and obtained by NBC affiliate KARE, prosecutors detailed allegations against 40-year-old David Bruce Delong, who they accused of killing Amber Czech, of Hutchinson, because he did not like her in an attack they believe he had planned for some time.
According to the Wright County Sheriff’s office, the incident happened around 6 a.m. on Nov. 11 at Advanced Process Technologies in Cokato. There, officers were called to the scene for a woman found at her workstation with “significant head trauma.”
Deputies arrived and tried to perform life-saving measures, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said an investigation found the woman’s death was “due to an assault by an adult male coworker with a blunt force object.”
The coworker, identified as Delong, was taken into custody at the scene without incident.
Delong was reportedly charged with second-degree murder but Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes told KARE in a statement he plans to “evaluate this case for a possible charge of first-degree premeditated murder, which requires convening a grand jury.”
According to the Minnesota station, court documents indicated surveillance video showed Delong leaving his work station, grabbing a sledgehammer and hitting Czech in the head multiple times. He allegedly confessed to killed Czech both to a witness and when officers arrived.
In a statement, a company spokesperson told KARE they are “heartbroken” by the tragedy and “our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends in this terrible moment.”
Czech was a young female welder, according to a fundraising page set up to help cover her funeral costs.
“We are heartbroken to share the loss of our beloved, Amber Czech. She was taken from us far too soon at just 20 years young as a result of workplace violence,” the page read. “Amber was a hardworking welder who took great pride in her craft and dreamed of building a bright future through her work. Her witty personality, positive attitude, and beautiful smile touched everyone who knew her.”
Alexandria Technical & Community College said Czech graduated from their welding program in the spring of 2024.
“Amber’s commitment to excellence and her passion for her craft left a lasting impression on our campus community,” the school said in a statement.
Fellow female welders and women in trades have flocked to her family’s fundraising page to share messages of solidarity.
“From another trade sister up north, I heard about her story this week and I am heartbroken for her family. Her light will live in all of us,” one commenter wrote.
“From one woman welder to another: May the arcs you strike among the Heavens above fall back to the Earth as only the brightest of stars,” another commented.
“From one sister in the trades to another, rest in peace Amber. Rest easy, we’ll take it from here. I am so proud to be a part of the blue collar sisterhood with you,” another wrote. “May your family find peace and comfort in knowing they will see you again. Your name will live on with us all.”
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