Police ID gunman in ambush-arson

Published 3:29 pm Saturday, October 30, 2010

FAIRMONT — Police have identified the Minnesota man who set a fire at his home and ambushed first responders but don’t know his motive.

Fairmont police say 49-year-old Michael Mathwig was found dead outside his home.

Mathwig was wearing a hunting vest with more than 20 rounds of shotgun ammunition in his pants pocket. He also had shotgun shells in a bag taped to his wrist.

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Mathwig apparently shot himself in the head. The Minnesota Fire Marshal’s office says the fire was arson.

Police aren’t sure of the motive behind Tuesday’s shootings. Mathwig was accused of exposing himself to a neighbor girl in December. When police interviewed him, he expressed resentment toward law enforcement for incidents decades ago.

The police officer and neighbor wounded in the shooting are out of the hospital.