2 Charged After Doctor Shot In Head In Fairview Hospital Robbery

HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN — A Minnetonka man and Minneapolis woman are accused in the attempted robbery and shooting of a doctor on the campus of Fairview Southdale Hospital, police said.

Matthew Rush, 33, faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, attempted first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault.

Lucinda Peterson, 50, was charged with two counts of aiding an offender and one count of aiding and abetting attempted aggravated robbery.

Edina police said the shooting occurred Sept. 14 at the west parking ramp of Fairview Southdale Hospital. Police said a man was shot in the head, although the wound was not life-threatening.

The Star Tribune identified the shooting victim as a 45-year-old doctor from Eagan.

The doctor had arrived for work at the hospital that evening when Rush approached him in the parking lot, tapped on his car window and asked to use his phone, according to the criminal complaint.

After using the phone, Rush handed it back to the doctor, pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him, police said.

The doctor tried to grab the gun from Rush but was shot, according to authorities. After Rush fled, the doctor realized his head was bleeding and went into the hospital for treatment, the complaint states.

Surveillance video showed a silver car with a dent driving away. Investigators issued a crime alert with images of the silver vehicle from the surveillance footage.

On Sept. 24, investigators received information from the Savage Police Department that a car matching the images of the crime alert had been involved credit card thefts Sept. 15. The stolen credit cards were used by Peterson, the registered owner of the silver car, the complaint states.

Edina police knew Peterson because she was the passenger in a vehicle that fled from police Aug. 20, authorities said. The doctor identified Rush as the man who shot him, according to the complaint.

Cell data from Rush and Peterson showed they were both in the area of Fairview Southdale Hospital during the Sept. 14 shooting, investigators said.

Peterson and Rush were arrested Sept. 27 and are being held at the Hennepin County Jail, according to a news release.