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Crime, Law and Justice
Cody Nelson
St. Paul

State investigators say man died of suicide in Cottage Grove police standoff

A police officer stands near an incident scene.
A tent and police tape at the scene of a police-suspect shootout shooting near Hidden Valley Trail in Cottage Grove.
Christine Nguyen | MPR News

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Updated: 10:20 p.m.

Noah Ante Erickson, 34, fatally shot himself while exchanging gunfire with police Monday in Cottage Grove, Minn., according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The shootout followed a violent morning when police say Erickson, of White Bear Lake, kidnapped a woman, sexually assaulted another, and stole several vehicles.

The BCA said Tuesday it’s investigating the shooting, which is standard procedure when a police officer is involved. The state agency did not reveal a motive.

The two officers who fired their guns — Cottage Grove Police Capt. Gwen Martin and Woodbury Sgt. Omar Maklad — are on standard administrative leave, authorities say. They have 18 years and 16 years of service, respectively.

The BCA said there’s body camera, dash camera and surveillance footage of parts of the incident.

Erickson’s string of alleged crimes began in Maplewood, Minn., around 6 a.m. Monday when he kidnapped a woman who didn’t know him, from her workplace parking lot, police say. At gunpoint, he allegedly forced her drive to her home in St. Paul where he sexually assaulted her roommate, after tying up both.

He fled the scene and abandoned the assault victim’s car in Cottage Grove before another armed carjacking at about 8:30 a.m. in the suburb’s Hidden Valley Neighborhood, according to police. Erickson left that vehicle and fled into a family’s home.

The two adults and two children escaped the house, but Erickson left with their pickup. Police say he crashed the truck into a tree after driving through yards and around police barricades, authorities say.

Erickson exchanged gunfire with police before shooting himself, the BCA said. Police said he died at the scene after officers attempted lifesaving measures.

Correction (Nov. 5, 2019): A previous version did not reflect the latest information from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension regarding who was sexually assaulted. The above copy has been corrected.