Maplewood man attacked ex-girlfriend, woman shoots back

A Maplewood man was shot in the chest by his ex-girlfriend Sunday night as he attacked her in her Mounds View home, according to charges filed Thursday in Ramsey County District Court.

Daniel A. Carlson, 45, who survived the shooting, was charged with making terroristic threats and domestic assault.

The 29-year-old woman was not charged.

Carlson allegedly entered the woman's home about 11:48 p.m. Sunday without her consent, attacked and threatened to kill her before being shot. He then wrested the gun away from the woman, according to the charges.

"After Carlson got her gun, Carlson went to her refrigerator and took out a beer," the charges stated.

According to the complaint:

Carlson had previously rented a room in the woman's basement, and the two started a romantic relationship. But in early January, the woman had asked him to move out and took his house key.

Carlson demanded to talk to her, and then entered the house. He climbed on top of her and hit her in the head several times.

"How could you do this to me? I just wanted some answers!" Carlson said, according to the woman, who described him as looking "wild-eyed."

Carlson allegedly threatened to kill her. Afraid for her life, she pulled out the gun, pressed the barrel against his right chest and fired once.

"Although he was shot through his chest, Carlson continued hitting her and then struggled to rip the gun from [the woman's] hand," the complaint said.

"She managed to remove the ammunition magazine from the gun just before Carlson grabbed it away from her."

The woman fled outside. Carlson chased her and collapsed in the driveway. The woman returned to the house and called 911.

"From inside, she saw Carlson put her gun to his own head and pull the trigger, but the gun was not loaded and did not fire," the complaint said.

When officers arrived at the scene, Carlson was sitting on the woman's front step. He allegedly told police that he was guilty and said, "Don't blame her, I was just trying to get answers."

A can of beer, half empty, sat next to a gun in the yard.

Carlson had a bullet entrance wound in his right chest and an exit wound on the right side of his back. He is expected to survive.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708