Suspect dead, Oakdale officer shot after morning raid

An Oakdale man is dead and a police officer hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the arm after authorities attempted to serve a search warrant in a quiet neighborhood Thursday morning.

The shooting occurred about 8 a.m. when Oakdale police and a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent attempted to search the split-level home on the 2700 block of Granite Avenue. When entering the home, police encountered a man and "a weapon or weapons were used," according to the St. Paul Police Department, which is assisting with the case. The Oakdale officer was shot and the suspect was injured, although authorities did not specify the nature of his injuries. Both were taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where the suspect was pronounced dead. Oakdale police declined to immediately identify the officer.

Scanner traffic captured by the MN Police Clips website indicates that the suspect, identified by neighbors as 53-year-old Mark A. Kuzel, turned the gun on himself after the shooting.

Neighbors said the tan, split-level house belonged to Kuzel who bought it in 1999, according to property records. Kuzel's criminal record shows three DWI-related convictions and only minor traffic violations from more than 20 years ago. Crime scene tape surrounded the entire block Thursday afternoon as police went door to door questioning neighbors. A lone blue car sat in the driveway.

According to audio captured by the MN Police Clips website, the incident unfolded quickly, with an officer reporting shots fired at 7:52 a.m. and requesting dispatchers to send an ambulance. As police call dispatch to block off the street, more gunfire is reported.

"Shots fired again inside, possible self-inflicted, stand by," an officer radioed.

The wounded officer was walked to an ambulance within minutes. Shortly after 8 a.m. the scene was declared "Code 4," or no longer in need of assistance.

"Code 4, we have one suspect," an officer radioed while requesting a second ambulance.

Later Thursday, crime scene tape surrounded the house where the shots rang out, said Gregory Trierweiler, who lives down the street from where the shooting took place.

"It's a little unnerving to hear gunfire," he said.

Staff writer Tim Harlow contributed to this report.

Karen Zamora • 612-673-4647

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648