Minnesota authorities: Gunman killed self in police shootout

COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say a gunman who carjacked several vehicles, sexually assaulted a woman and briefly held a family of four hostage in their suburban St. Paul home died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, not by police gunfire.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Tuesday night that a medical examiner determined 34-year-old Noah Ante Erickson killed himself during an exchange of gunfire with police in Cottage Grove on Monday. Authorities earlier said the man was killed by police.

Authorities say Erickson kidnapped a woman at gunpoint, forced her to drive to her St. Paul home where he sexually assaulted her roommate, stole a vehicle and drove to Cottage Grove where he stole another vehicle. He then kicked in the door of a residence, briefly held a family hostage before stealing their vehicle, crashing it and exchanging gunfire with police.

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