Authorities on Sunday identified the woman fatally shot in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers in a wildlife area in east-central Minnesota.
Denise R. Fairchild, of rural Aitkin, Minn., suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the torso Tuesday evening in the state-operated French Lake Wildlife Management Area, according to the Hennepin County medical examiner's office.
According to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which is leading the investigation:
Authorities were called to check on Fairchild around 4:25 p.m. She was described as suicidal.
Deputies found her vehicle about an hour later in the wildlife area, northeast of Aitkin. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation officer also responded.
The officers tried to persuade Fairchild, who was armed, to discard her weapons, and at one point she got out of the vehicle.
Officers spoke with her and on at least two occasions during the exchange, she shot toward the officers.
Fairchild was wounded by officers returning fire about 7:10 p.m., received aid from law enforcement at the scene and died less than three hours later at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale.
