Suspect, accomplice charged in Southdale Hospital parking ramp shooting

EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Hennepin County prosecutors filed attempted murder, aggravated robbery and assault charges Tuesday against a man accused of shooting a doctor in the M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital parking ramp in Edina, Minnesota on September 14. 

Matthew Rush, 33, of Minnetonka is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault with an aggravated weapon. 

On Sept. 14, shortly before 9 p.m., Edina police officers responded to the Southdale Hospital parking ramp, where a doctor had been shot in the head. 

According to the charges, the victim told police he had arrived for work and had just parked his car when a man, now identified as Rush, approached his driver’s side window and tapped on it. Rush asked to use the victim’s cell phone and the victim got out of his car and handed him his phone. 

After using the phone, Rush handed it back, then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victim. The charges say he ordered the victim to “get in the car” and threated to kill him. 

The victim grabbed for the gun and Rush moved the gun upwards. The victim said he heard a gunshot and fell to the ground as Rush fled. The victim realized he was bleeding from his forehead and was able to get inside the hospital. 

The bullet had entered through the victim’s forehead and exited through his scalp, causing deep lacerations that required stitches and staples to close, according to the charges. He was released from the hospital later that night. 

“He definitely had a guardian angel on his shoulder on that day," said detective Jason Behr with Edina Police. "That’s just something you don’t hear about, taking a bullet to the head and surviving the way he did."

The victim was able to provide a detailed description of Rush to police. 

An investigation led police to a vehicle believed to have been involved in the shooting. They located the vehicle at a hotel in Bloomington on Sunday and arrested Rush and another suspect, 50-year-old Lucinda Ann Peterson of Minneapolis. 

In the hotel room, police found evidence of methamphetamine and a notebook with a handwritten list which included “burner phones” and “gun.” 

Prosecutors also filed related charges against Peterson Tuesday for first-degree aggravated robbery and two counts of aiding an offender.  

Rush has previous felony convictions for financial transaction card fraud, drug possession and other theft-related offenses. He was also convicted of first-degree aggravated robbery in 2014 for approaching a victim in a parking ramp, pointing a gun at them and demanding they “get in the car” before stealing their purse. 

Both suspects are scheduled to make their first court appearances on Wednesday.