Two Police Officers Among Five Shot at Minneapolis Apartment Building/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Investigators are examining a downtown Minneapolis apartment building where a shooting left three people dead, including the suspected gunman. Five people were wounded by gunfire, including two police officers, while a third officer suffered other injuries. Authorities have not identified the suspect or explained how the person died.
Quick Look
- The shooting occurred Wednesday evening in downtown Minneapolis.
- Three people died, including the suspected shooter.
- Five people suffered gunshot wounds.
- Two Minneapolis police officers were among those shot.
- A third officer sustained other injuries.
- All three officers were hospitalized and expected to recover fully.
- Police entered the building within two minutes of receiving the 911 call.
- Officers encountered limited visibility from an unexplained haze.
- Authorities said they were familiar with the suspected shooter.
- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension joined the investigation.
Deep Look
Investigators Examine Downtown Shooting Scene
Investigators returned Thursday to a downtown Minneapolis apartment building where a shooting killed three people, including the suspected gunman, and left five others wounded by gunfire.
Dozens of law enforcement officers were working at the building alongside a mobile crime-scene unit from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the state’s primary investigative agency.
Authorities have not released the identities of the dead or disclosed a possible motive.
Two Officers Were Shot
Two Minneapolis police officers were among the five people wounded by gunfire, police Sgt. Garrett Parten said. Another officer sustained injuries not caused by gunfire.
Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson said all three officers were hospitalized but expected to make full recoveries.
One officer was shot in the leg. Another was struck twice in the abdomen, according to Peterson.
Officials did not provide details about the injuries suffered by the other victims or their conditions.
Police Responded Within Minutes
The emergency response began shortly after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, when authorities received a 911 call reporting gunfire inside the apartment building.
Officers entered the building within two minutes and quickly located victims, Peterson said.
They then heard additional gunshots coming from a higher floor and moved toward the sound. When officers reached that area, they encountered “a haze that significantly limited their visibility,” the chief said.
Authorities did not explain what caused the haze or offer further information about the conditions officers confronted.
Three People Died
One victim was pronounced dead at the building, while another died after being transported to a hospital.
The suspected shooter was also found dead. Police have not said how the person died or whether officers fired their weapons during the confrontation.
Authorities provided no identifying information about the suspect but said law enforcement had previous familiarity with the person.
Residents Describe Gunfire and Previous Concerns
Apartment resident Julius Bailey said he was sitting with a friend outside the building’s entrance when he heard gunshots.
Bailey said he saw another resident holding a pistol and heard a woman screaming. He immediately ran from the area, counting eight shots while seeking safety.
He described the armed man as someone known in the building for belligerent behavior and displaying his weapon. Bailey, who moved into the building in June, said he deliberately avoided the man.
“I could tell he was trouble,” Bailey said.
Another resident, Chris Miller, reported hearing a rapid series of gunshots before running outside.
Miller said he believed he knew who was responsible. Earlier in the week, he said, he encountered someone carrying a handgun in a hallway and reported that person to building management.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting remains underway.
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