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Minn. officer shot during domestic dies

By PoliceOne Staff

LAKE CITY, Minn. — A critically injured Lake City police officer died Friday night after nearly two weeks in the hospital, a Mayo Clinic spokesperson said.

Officer Shawn Schneider, 32, was shot in the head Dec. 19 while responding to a reported domestic incident.

Alan J. Sylte, 25, fired at Schneider and returned to the inside of his home, launching an hours-long standoff involving more than 100 local officers, the Republican Eagle reported. Officials found Sylte's body that evening and medical examiners determined that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Several candelight vigils were held in Schneider's honor as he remained in the hospital following the shooting, and police were impressed with the community's remarkable ability to unite during the trying period, they told the Star Tribune.

"It gets difficult for people when they are stopped by [law enforcement officers], and we sometimes get a lot of negativity coming back toward us," Sheriff Rodney Bartsh said. "In times of crisis, when things are at their worst, the community rallied around us in a very overwhelming way."

Contributions to help Schneider's family can be sent to Alliance Bank, c/o Kathy Moyer, 105 E. Lyon Av., Lake City, MN 55401.