A Twin Cities area man, bloodied from one home invasion in far northern Minnesota, was fatally shot at a second home after gaining entry and assaulting the elderly homeowner, authorities said Monday.

Benjamin Beaudoin, 34, of Mendota Heights attacked the 72-year-old woman who owned the home near Ray, Minn., and was shot by her son, according to the Koochiching County Sheriff's Office.

"I'm the son who did what had to be done," said Brad Himes, 48, who came to the rescue of his mother, Ethel.

Brad Himes said the family had never before seen Beaudoin, who was in that part of the state to attend a wedding.

The son said his mother came through the incident fine physically, and "we're doing the best we can to get by. … Bad things happen.We just want to get over it."

In a posting on the Facebook page of Beaudoin's sister, Brea Jennings, the family said that "in recent years Ben struggled with a type of mental illness that was never positively identified but that involved severe migraines and their powerful side effects."

The posting said Beaudoin suffered a "traumatic brain injury as a teen" that combined with his alcoholism to "contribute in some ways" to his recent difficulties. On the morning of the home invasions, the family continued, "Ben had an episode that took over his mind and body. Under extreme paranoia … he entered the homes of two strangers, assaulted one of them, and was shot in self-defense."

County Attorney Jeff Naglosky declined to comment on the incident as he awaits reports from