One dead after shooting at police, deputies and firefighter
NORMANNA, Minn. – One man is dead after allegedly shooting at first responders and setting multiple fires.
It happened in Normanna township. just north of Duluth.
St, Louis Count Sheriff Gordan Ramsey said on the morning of July 15, 2025 a 9-1-1 caller said a suspect sprayed gas on a family member and set their house on fire.
The suspect set another home on fire along with his own.
A single Normanna Township volunteer firefighter was able to initially put out the fires on the neighboring homes.
That firefighter believed the suspect was shooting at them and took cover.
Law enforcement scene in Normanna near McQuade Road and E Pioneer Road
A Duluth Township police officer arrived on the scene and also believed they were being shot at by the suspect.
Sheriff Gordon Ramsey says more deputies then arrived.
As the additional deputies approached by the suspect they were also shot at, “Five of our St. Louis County deputies approached the area where the homes were burning. And as they did, the suspect engaged them which led to a use of force incident. In the encounter causing all five deputies to discharge their weapons striking the suspect.”
Sheriff Ramsey also said the suspect left devices aiming to hurt first responders, “During the investigation we found many homemade devices near the scene and these devices at this point appear to have been designed to fire projectiles at first responders as they approached on the road.”
No deputies, firefighters, or civilians were injured the incident.
The suspect has not be publicly identified at this point.
During the incident neighbors were checking on each other.
FOX21 talked to Deniis Gunsolus who lives very close to the incident.
Gunsolus said he wasn’t not surprised by what took place today.
He said the suspect was not a good neighbor, “There’s a lot of craziness in the world… it doesn’t surprise me especially with him. How do I feel about that? Too bad it happened but not a surprise, can’t have a whole of of feelings about that.”
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is now taking over this investigation at the request of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
The BCA tells FOX21 they don’t expect to release more information until at least Tuesday.
