Minneapolis apartment shooting leaves 3 dead, 2 police officers wounded

Gunfire erupted at a downtown Minneapolis apartment building, leaving three people dead and several injured. The attack wounded responding police officers and triggered a major multi-agency investigation.

In Short

• Police reached the apartment building within two minutes of the emergency call
• A haze on an upper floor sharply reduced officers' visibility during entry
• One officer was shot in the leg, another twice in abdomen

Three people, including the suspected shooter, were killed and five others were wounded in a shooting at a downtown Minneapolis apartment building on Wednesday, authorities said. The injured included two Minneapolis police officers, while a third officer suffered other injuries. All three officers are in stable condition, according to Hennepin County Medical Centre.

Police said a 911 call about shots fired came in shortly after 4.30 pm. Officers entered the building in less than two minutes and found victims before hearing more gunfire from an upper floor, where visibility was badly affected by what Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson described as "a haze that significantly limited their visibility".

Peterson said one officer was shot in the leg and another was shot twice in the abdomen. He said all three injured officers were expected to make a full recovery. One victim was declared dead at the scene and another died after reaching hospital.

Police said they were familiar with the suspected shooter before the incident, but did not share further details. Sgt. Garrett Parten said it was not immediately clear how the shooter died. Hennepin County Medical Centre said it received seven patients but did not provide more information about their conditions.

Peterson said, "I'm truly sickened by this level of violence." He added, "That feeling is tempered only by the courageous actions of the Minneapolis police officers, who responded without hesitation, confronted an extraordinarily dangerous situation and worked to end the violence and restore safety."

Julius Bailey, who was sitting outside his apartment building, said he heard gunshots and saw a man he recognised as a resident holding a pistol. He said he heard a woman screaming and immediately started running away, adding that he counted eight shots. Bailey said he recognised the man because he was known for showing off his weapon and that he had tried to avoid him since moving into the building in June. "I could tell he was trouble," he said.

Another resident, Chris Miller, said he heard a rapid succession of gunshots and quickly ran outside. He said he believed he knew who carried out the shooting and that he had seen someone with a handgun in the hallway earlier this week and reported that person to management.

Video posted on social media showed police aiming rifles upward at an apartment tower near the Minneapolis Convention Centre. Officials urged residents to avoid the nearby Loring Park area. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said state officials were helping local law enforcement respond. "Grateful to law enforcement actively working to ensure the safety of our neighbours in Downtown Minneapolis this afternoon," Walz said. "Minnesota is praying for our first responders."

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was responding and "will offer any and all resources necessary to assist local authorities". The shooting left three people dead, several others injured, and prompted a large emergency response as authorities worked to secure the building and investigate what happened.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends