ZUMBROTA — The man shot and killed by a Zumbrota police officer during a domestic dispute Monday evening has been identified as Thomas Robinson, 37.
Robinson allegedly had shot is his wife, Rebecca Robinson, 28, who is in fair condition today at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester, according to the Goodhue County Sheriff's Department, which helped investigate the shooting along with the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The department said five-year veteran Zumbrota Police Officer Rob Jarrett was called to the house at 350 Lincoln Avenue at 8:29 p.m. to help the wife retrieve personal property. Another family member was also there.
"While still outside the residence, Thomas Robinson produced a handgun and fired multiple shots at his wife, Rebecca Robinson, and in the vicinity of the family member.
Officer Jarrett intervened to protect Rebecca Robinson and the family member by firing his service weapon at Thomas Robinson to stop Mr. Robinson’s assault," a news release from the department said.
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Thomas Robinson was pronounced dead at the scene. The family member was not hurt.
Jarrett was put on administrative leave, which is standard procedure. "The preliminary results of the investigation indicate that Officer Jarrett’s actions were necessary to save the life of the victim, Rebecca Robinson."
The last time Zumbrota had someone shot to death was the murder-suicide of an estranged couple in April 1999, said Police Chief Gary Selness.
Sandy Lohman, who lives in the house to the north, said the couple moved in after Jan. 1. The man worked on putting up wind turbines, she said. They lived in a motor home for several years but were interested in buying the house because they liked the house and area, she said.
They were helpful, shoveling part of her sidewalk, she said, and her husband, Jim Lohman, shoveled part of theirs at another time.
The man was gone for a while, apparently to Texas to work on a turbine. He was looking for work in this area, she said. "It sounded like they were ready to settle down," she said.
When the couple's car battery died, they came over to borrow a charger and talked for about 45 minutes, Lohman said. "We sat and chatted, we had a real nice visit with them," she said. "We told them we were happy to see someone in the house."
When she heard the shooting was apparently triggered by a domestic dispute "that did surprise me," she said. "That day we chatted, I had no idea there was a problem."
