Self-Defense Not Ruled Out as Cause of Northfield Shooting

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office has released preliminary autopsy information on the fatal Aug. 14 shooting in Northfield.

The death was ruled a homicide resulting from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities say that self-defense cannot be ruled out as the cause of the shooting, and that it may take well over a month for all the evidence to be examined and evaluated.

The autopsy report comes after it was recently learned the suspect in the fatal shooting told police that her now-deceased roommate threatened to kill her.

According to Northfield News, the alleged shooter claimed that Lilly Marie Kirckof, 61, the victim who was fatally shot, was going to kill her because Kirckof thought their home was being foreclosed.

The incident took place just before 7:50 a.m. on Aug. 14. Northfield Police Department officers were dispatched to Kirckof's home after shots were heard.

Initial information was that the shooting was related to an intruder in the home, but police later said the shooting was not connected to any intruder.

At the scene, police say they discovered Kirckof and the alleged shooter. Kirckof was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman who reported the shooting was taken into custody but has since been released due to lack of probable cause.

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