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Copyright 2004 St. Paul Pioneer Press
All Rights Reserved
Saint Paul Pioneer Press (Minnesota)
June 3, 2004 Thursday CITY EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B4
LENGTH: 508 words
HEADLINE: QUARREL LEAVES 2 DEAD, POLICE OFFICER WOUNDED
VIOLENT FAMILY FEUD LED TO CHASE, SHOOTING
BYLINE: LISA DONOVAN, Pioneer Press
BODY:
A man fatally shot his estranged wife's father in St. Louis Park early Wednesday, then rammed a police car and
exchanged gunfire with pursuing officers. The shootout left the assailant dead and one policeman wounded.
The killings evolved from a domestic dispute. Police said a 34-year-old man repeatedly drove by his father-in-law's
residence, where his wife was staying.
Between 1:30 and 2 a.m., officers were summoned to the duplex in the 7300 block of Minnetonka Boulevard
because of the disturbance.
"He was setting off his wife's car alarm. He had an extra key to the car and had some way of starting the alarm,"
said St. Louis Park Police Chief John Luse.
When officers arrived, they were told the suspect had fled in a white sport utility vehicle.
Just before 2 a.m., police again were summoned to the residence after the suspect reportedly returned and shot his
father-in-law. When officers arrived, they saw the suspect driving away. St. Louis Park police pursued the suspect and
Golden Valley officers joined the chase when the suspect drove into that western Twin Cities suburb.
Officers followed the man nearly two miles to Laurel and Louisiana avenues in Golden Valley, where the suspect
rammed a St. Louis Park Police Department squad car and shots were fired.
The suspect was killed and St. Louis Park police officer Siar Nadem, a 26-year-old two-year veteran of the force,
was shot in the lower leg. The officer was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to Luse.
Neighbors Monyea Stein and his stepson Rick Kocourek, who live in the 7400 block of Minnetonka Boulevard,
were sitting in the living room watching television Wednesday morning when one of the men heard a woman screaming

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QUARREL LEAVES 2 DEAD, POLICE OFFICER WOUNDEDVIOLENT FAMILY FEUD LED TO CHASE,
SHOOTING Saint Paul Pioneer Press (Minnesota) June 3, 2004 Thursday CITY EDITION
and both heard shots.
"Before (the shooting) I could hear this woman yelling, 'No, don't do it,' " Kocourek said.
Then "we heard some bangs," Stein added. His stepson turned to him and said, "Those are shots."
Stein was walking down the street toward the shooting scene when he spotted a speeding white SUV -- by his
estimate going 70 mph -- on westbound Minnetonka Boulevard. Four police cars with lights and sirens activated were
not far behind, Stein said.
About five minutes later, the SUV and the squad cars drove by him again, this time heading east. The cars made a
left turn and headed north on Louisiana Avenue, he said.
By then, Stein said, he was standing in front of the duplex. A man was lying on a sidewalk leading up to the
residence and two rifles were lying on the ground nearby, he said.
Late Wednesday, the Hennepin County medical examiner identified the man as Richard H. Atkins Jr., 61, and said
he died of multiple gunshot wounds. His assailant was identified as Todd Hubbell, 34, who was estranged from Atkins'
daughter, Shannon.
The Hennepin County sheriff's office was tapped by St. Louis Park and Golden Valley police to sort out the
shooting involving the officers and Hubbell.
Lisa Donovan can be reached at ldonovan@pioneerpress.com or 612-338-6872.
NOTES: WEST METRO
GRAPHIC: Map: Pioneer Press
Shooting takes place and suspect flees
Police shoot and kill suspect after he wounds officer
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