Landon Terrance Tuomala aimed a .30-30 lever-action rifle at his father's girlfriend as she walked through the front door of their shared home in Aurora, Minnesota, and pulled the trigger. The bullet sailed over the woman after she tripped and fell—a stroke of luck that saved her life and left Tuomala facing attempted murder charges instead of homicide.
Background
The incident unfolded on Aug. 26, 2024, at a residence on East Third Avenue South in Aurora, a small mining town roughly 60 miles north of Duluth. According to criminal complaints obtained by Northern News Now (NBC affiliate KBJR and CBS affiliate KRII), the evening began with a 911 call reporting an unseen woman shouting for help.
Tuomala himself then called emergency services to report he had just shot someone but was no longer armed, law enforcement said. As East Range Police Department officers arrived at the scene, Tuomala exited the home with his hands raised, still believing he had struck the victim.
The woman told investigators she could not recall whether Tuomala spoke as he pointed the long gun at her—only that she ran. She screamed for someone to call 911 and managed to turn around just before the weapon discharged. The bullet passed over her body as she fell to the ground, police wrote in charging documents.
Neighbors who heard what they described as a "ba-boom" sound followed by screams escorted the victim to safety in a nearby pickup truck. Officers found her "visibly upset and shaking," according to court documents obtained by the Duluth News Tribune.
The Investigation
Detectives later recovered a bullet lodged inside a neighboring residence. The investigation revealed Tuomala had recently moved into the home with his father and the victim after being discharged from two separate treatment facilities, authorities said.
Tuomala, 24, was charged with one count of attempted murder in the second degree with intent—not premeditated. Earlier this week, Judge Michelle Anderson presided over a stipulated evidence bench trial in St. Louis County District Court and found him guilty as charged.
Prosecutors had recommended a 173-month sentence under state guidelines. The defense offered no counter-proposal. In a departure from the advisory range, Judge Anderson imposed 120 months in prison—10 years—over the objection of the county attorney's office.
The judge determined Tuomala did not have a viable mental illness defense but justified the downward departure based on his lack of substantial capacity for judgment and evidence of a mental or physical impairment at the time of the shooting, prosecutors stated.
Key Takeaways
- Landon Terrance Tuomala, 24, was sentenced to 10 years in prison following conviction for attempted second-degree murder with intent.
- The shooting occurred Aug. 26, 2024, when the victim entered her Aurora, Minnesota home just before 7 p.m.
- A .30-30 lever-action rifle was used; the bullet passed over the woman after she tripped and fell as Tuomala fired.
- Tuomala called 911 himself to report the shooting while believing he had struck his father's girlfriend.
- The judge departed downward from the 173-month guideline range based on impairment findings, against prosecutor objections.
What's Next
Tuomala will begin serving his sentence immediately at a Minnesota Department of Corrections facility. No appeal timeline has been announced. The St. Louis County Attorney's Office confirmed the case is now closed following sentencing.