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Campus Holds Vigil For Student Killed In Dumbwaiter

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police are hoping to talk to anyone who was at a western Wisconsin bar and grill in the hours leading up to a worker's death.

Co-workers of 21-year-old Brooke Baures called 911 from the WingDam Saloon and Grill in Fountain City to report an accident around 7:45 p.m. Monday.

"I think one of my co-workers got squished in, like, our dumbwaiter. But I'm, like, not willing to look close enough," said a co-worker in the initial 911 call.

Investigators say Baures' body was inside the shaft of the dumbwaiter. But, so far, no witnesses saw how she got in.

The coroner told WCCO she died from head trauma. Police are now working to figure out how the apparent accident happened.

Friends held a vigil Wednesday night at Winona State University to remember Baures, who was a gymnast. It was easy to tell that her presence is already greatly missed.

Her teammates huddled in the campus' gazebo, surrounded by hundreds of students and friends. Brooke's youth pastor says she went on several mission trips. He also played one of her favorite songs to the crowd.

Her teammates talked of her strength on the balance beam and her confidence. They said they haven't processed what happened, and that, they say, is beside the point.

"I think we just need to worry about the time we had with her," said teammate Brooke Hiestand. "We don't need to worry about how it happened, when it happened, anything. Just remembering Brooke in the best way possible."

The team was supposed to have a meet this Friday, but they say they've decided not to go. They won't compete again until January in Alaska -- a meet they say will be so very different.

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