Police shoot, kill man outside home in north Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Police shot and killed a man in Minneapolis early Sunday after he fired a gunshot toward officers who were responding to a report of domestic assault, authorities said.

The Star Tribune reported that police spokesman John Elder said officers were heading to a house in the northern part of the city at about 3:10 a.m. when they learned that a shot had been fired in the home.

Elder said that after officers arrived, a brief standoff occurred with a man who initially refused to leave the residence. Officers spoke with the man by telephone and he eventually agreed to come outside, Elder said.

The man fired once at the officers as he left the home, and they returned fire, striking him an undetermined number of times, according to police. No officers were injured, Elder said.

The man, whose name hasn’t yet been released, was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died, Elder said.

Minnesota man to stand trial in correctional officer’s death

STILLWATER (AP) — A Minnesota inmate charged with killing an on-duty corrections officer with a hammer and knife has been found mentally fit to stand trial, a judge ruled Friday.

Edward Johnson is accused of bludgeoning Joseph Gomm at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater on July 18, 2018. His trial on first-degree murder charges was scheduled for June but was delayed as the court considered whether Johnson understood the court process enough to assist in his defense.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Johnson’s public defender, Virginia Murphy, said during a brief hearing in Washington County District Court that she would not contest the evaluation that found Johnson competent.

That brought relief to Gomm’s relatives, their lawyer said.

“My clients are elated because it can finally proceed to an adjudicated trial,” said Mike Padden, who was retained by Gomm’s heirs to represent them in a possible wrongful-death lawsuit. “There are no more technical, legal glitches. It’s going to go forward.”

The trial could take place during the middle of next year.

At the time of Gomm’s killing, Johnson was serving a 29-year sentence for killing his girlfriend in 2002. Prosecutors said Johnson used a prison-issued hammer and an improvised knife to stab Gomm in the chest twice.

Minnesota teen killed after being struck by commuter train

COON RAPIDS (AP) — Authorities said a teenager was killed after a Metro Transit commuter train struck him Friday evening in Coon Rapids.

The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said first responders were notified of the crash around 6:45 p.m., The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene.

The teen’s age, gender, and hometown have not been released.

The northbound Northstar commuter train had about 50 passengers going from Minneapolis to Big Lake. No passengers were injured and they were transferred to Metro Transit buses.

Investigating the case are the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, Coon Rapids Police, Metro Transit Police and the medical examiner.

Package thief taunts St. Paul victim with thank you note

ST. PAUL (AP) — A package thief who made off with a woman’s delivery in St. Paul this week decided to leave something behind for the victim — a handwritten thank you note taunting her for the package.

Homeowner Hilary Smith said she found the note on her porch after she got home from work, hours after she received a text saying that her package had been delivered.

The note said: “So just a quick little thank you for leaving me the opportunity of stealing your package. Very nice of you. Thank You.” It was signed: “The new owner of your package.”

St. Paul police posted a picture of the note on Twitter on Friday, and reminded residents who are expecting deliveries to take precautions to avoid thefts.

Smith said she appreciates hand-crafted thank you notes, but not in this case.

She told the Pioneer Press the package was a portable phone charger for her boss, and she initially didn’t report it. But she posted a photo of the note to a Facebook group and received hundreds of comments, including one from a woman who said the police could test the note for prints.