An Anoka man is in custody after police say he went to his ex-wife’s workplace in North St. Paul on Wednesday afternoon and shot her before fleeing.
John Bruce Steurer was arrested by Anoka County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday evening after a short standoff at a county park, according to a news release issued by the sheriff’s office.
Steurer suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his face and was transported to an area hospital, the news release said. His condition was not immediately known.
North St. Paul police responded about 2:20 p.m. to a report of a shooting at Anchor Mold and Tool Co., where they found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a post on the North St. Paul Police Department’s Facebook page. She was transported to an area hospital. Her condition was not immediately known.
The Facebook post identified the victim as Steurer’s ex-wife. Steurer fled the scene in a Black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with a ladder rack, the Facebook post said.
An Anoka County park ranger spotted the truck at Bunker Hills County Park about 5:15 p.m., according to the news release from the Anoka County sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene and attempted to stop the truck about 20 minutes later.
After a short pursuit, Steurer stopped the truck and a standoff began, the news release said. Steurer fired three shots inside the truck — not toward officers — before ramming an unmarked Anoka County sheriff’s office vehicle, according to the news release. After another gunshot was heard about 5:50 p.m., deputies approached the pickup and found Steurer alive but suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his face, the news release said.
No law enforcement officers were injured and none fired their weapons, according to the news release.