Two people were killed Wednesday and the suspect dead in a mass shooting in downtown Minneapolis in which nine people were injured, including three police officers.
According to local network-news affiliates, the shooter died by suicide. The suspect’s identity was not immediately made public Wednesday evening.
Three Minneapolis police officers were also injured, including two of them from gunshot wounds, police Sgt. Garrett Parten said at a press conference on Wednesday evening. All three officers are in stable condition, according to Hennepin County Medical Center.
“This is a tremendously tragic event and our thoughts and prayers are with the families, the loved ones of those who lost their lives, those who were injured and with the injured officers and their families,” Sgt. Parten said.
According to Sgt. Parten, one of the victims was fatally shot at the scene, and one died after arriving at the hospital.
Neither victim was publicly named, not did officials provide details on what their ties to the gunman might have been.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said his public safety team is joining the response to the shooting in the Loring Park neighborhood.
“Grateful to law enforcement actively working to ensure the safety of our neighbors in Downtown Minneapolis this afternoon,” Mr. Walz said. “Minnesota is praying for our first responders.
Mayor Jacob Frey said gunfire erupted near the Minneapolis Convention Center around 4:35 p.m. Wednesday.
The shooting started as a domestic dispute that escalated into a shooting at the Shoreline Plaza apartment complex,prompting police to arrive within minutes.
They then heard more gunshots and followed those sounds to a higher floor, where they found “a haze that significantly limited their visibility,” Sgt. Parten told reporters.
Responding officers were hit by gunfire as they raced to confront the assailant inside the building. One of the officers was shot in the leg, he said.
The sergeant did not provide additional details about the haze.
Derrick Thompson, who had just moved out of Shoreline Plaza, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the gunman had recently obtained a permit to carry, had a child custody dispute and his car was recently repossessed.
“He was fighting people every day, every damn day,” Mr. Thompson added. “He lost everything.”
Apartment resident Julius Bailey told the Associated Press that he was sitting outside of his apartment building when he heard gunshots and a woman screaming. He said he counted eight shots.
Mr. Bailey said that he recognized the man holding the gun because he was someone who was known for showing off his weapon. “I could tell he was trouble,” he said.
χ This article was based in part on wire-service reports.
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