Woman killed in St. Louis Park shooting

By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune

Last update: July 24, 2008 - 11:49 PM

A woman who worked at an assisted-living home in St. Louis Park was shot to death Thursday in the parking lot outside her workplace in what officials called the deadly culmination of a domestic dispute.

Police quickly arrested a 50-year-old man they said knew the victim, who was shot about 3 p.m. outside Sholom Home West, 3620 Phillips Pkwy. in St. Louis Park.

As of Thursday evening, police had not released the name of either the suspect or the victim. But officials with Sholom Community Alliance, which runs the home, said residents and fellow employees were devastated by the death of the woman, who had worked in the facility's nursing home for the past two years.

"They're having a tough time with it," said Connie Sandler, director of public relations and marketing for Sholom Community Alliance. "This was someone that many people were close to. It's been tough, and we're just trying to deal with that right now."

Authorities received a 911 call about the shooting at the same time a witness ran into the building to alert those inside to the gunfire.

A St. Louis Park police officer already in the facility for a meeting and Hopkins officers arrested the suspect almost immediately, said St. Louis Park city spokesman Jamie Zwilling.

The suspect was arrested without incident. Zwilling did not say whether the man tried to struggle or run from officers.

Sandler said the man dropped his gun as soon as police demanded that he do so and that residents were never in danger. She added that Sholom officials were honoring official requests to withhold identifying information about the victim and her relationship to the assailant until authorities released it.

The woman, who was found inside a car that had crashed into a neighboring car, died at the scene. Zwilling said police are still investigating whether the woman was shot inside the car or tried to escape after being shot.

"The shooter did know the victim, and they had a relationship of some sort," Zwilling said. "It does appear that it's probably domestic-related, and we don't believe there's any threat to the general public at this time."

Sholom employees stayed inside the building until the parking lot was cleared as police helicopters loomed overhead.

The same employees hope to start a fund for the victim's family.

Abby Simons • 612-673-4921

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