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SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Two South St. Paul police officers were wounded Thursday in an exchange of gunfire with a group home resident in a quiet neighborhood.
While authorities initially said one officer was wounded, South St. Paul Police Chief William Messerich and Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie said at a news conference later Thursday that two officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The officers went to the group home on a report of a missing resident, who then turned up and opened fire with a shotgun, Messerich said. He said the officers returned fire but did not hit the suspect, who dropped the gun and was arrested.
"While our situation had the potential for a much more tragic outcome than it did, I'm grateful the injuries of our officers were not any worse than they are," Messerich said.
One officer, an 11-year veteran, was in stable condition with a shoulder injury. The other, a six-year veteran, was hit in the leg but did not need hospitalization.
Stanley Young was delivering meals from a nonprofit to the group home when the shootout unfolded.
"No more than 5-6 feet away from me, this guy appears with a shotgun, fires two shots toward the officers" Young told the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
Young said the shooter appeared calm.
"It took me a moment to realize that was a shotgun in his hand. He didn't look rattled or like 'this is it for me,'" Young said.
The suspect is being held on suspicion of attempted murder.
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