The man who kept law enforcement at bay for nearly 20 hours last week in a Duluth neighborhood was shot to death while pointing a gun at officers, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said on Tuesday.
The BCA said that David J.W. Conwell, 37, of Duluth, exchanged gunfire twice over the long-running standoff at a home from Thursday night into Friday afternoon and killed a police K-9 during one of the encounters.
According to the BCA's preliminary investigation:
A call to 911 sent Duluth officers to the scene about 8:30 p.m. on a report of a suspected "physical domestic," police said at the time. Officers spoke with a woman who lived in one of the house's apartment units and could not determine whether an assault took place but did learn that Conwell was inside and had warrants for his arrest.
They entered the apartment and found Conwell in a closet. As the K-9, Luna, went toward Conwell, he fired a shotgun at the officers and fatally wounded the dog just before 10 p.m. The officers returned fire and retreated but did not wound Conwell.
Over many hours, Duluth's tactical response team (TRT) tried to contact Conwell and used "chemical irritants" numerous times in hopes of flushing him out. Nearby residents were evacuated as officers set up a perimeter around the block, police said.
About 3 a.m. Friday, TRT members entered the home. Conwell emerged from a bedroom closet and began shooting. Officers returned fire and retreated, again without wounding Conwell.
The Duluth Police Department told residents to stay away from the area — in the Lincoln Park neighborhood near 24th Ave. W. and W. Fourth St. — about 6:40 a.m., warning the suspect is "dangerous, armed and uncooperative."
