A 36-year-old man who opened fire on Owatonna police Wednesday night later turned the gun on himself and was taken to a hospital, authorities said. No officers were hurt, and a shelter-in-place order in a neighborhood near McKinley Street was lifted early Thursday.
Traffic Stop On Bridge Street Turns Volatile
Earlier in the evening, officers had been called about a person in crisis who left in a vehicle. Police spotted the car on Bridge Street and pulled it over, noticing cuts on the man's forearm. According to Star Tribune, the man became uncooperative, reached for a gun and fired at officers before driving off to the 200 block of W. McKinley Street, where he stopped.
Owatonna officers were soon joined by deputies from Rice and Steele counties, the Minnesota State Patrol and two SWAT teams as the situation escalated into a tense standoff, Star Tribune reported.
Officer Trades Shots, Suspect Injures Himself
At the McKinley Street scene, an Owatonna officer exchanged gunfire with the man. Around 12:20 a.m., the suspect shot himself, police said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, while the officer stayed on scene for medical evaluation.
Initial reports suggested an officer might have been injured, but that was later corrected, and no officers were hurt, according to KAAL-TV.
Neighborhood Told To Shelter, Then Given All Clear
Residents near McKinley Street SW and Linn Avenue SW were instructed to shelter in place while officers searched the area. Some people received the warning over their weather radios, Star Tribune reported.
An Emergency Alert System update captured by Weather Underground shows the Rice/Steele 911 Center later issued an all clear, saying the shelter-in-place order had been lifted.
The incident remains under investigation, and authorities say more information will be released when it becomes available.
