Minneapolis shooting kills 2, wounds 3 police officers
Photo: REUTERS
A gunman opened fire in the US city of Minneapolis, leaving at least two individuals dead and wounding several others, including three law enforcement officers.
Police spokesman Garret Parten confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that the suspect had also lost his life. Minneapolis police quickly rushed to a downtown apartment building after receiving an emergency call regarding gunfire just after 4:30 pm local time. Officers discovered the casualties within minutes of entering the high-rise structure.
Parten noted that one victim perished immediately at the crime scene, while emergency responders rushed four other individuals to the hospital, where one person subsequently died. The hospitalized victims included three police officers, two of whom had sustained gunshot wounds.
Hennepin County Medical Center reported that all three officers remain in stable condition. Parten added that authorities still do not know the exact cause of the shooter's death. At this moment, investigators lack specific details regarding the shooter's motive or the current health status of the other wounded victims.
Meanwhile, footage circulating on social media captures police officers pointing their firearms at the residential high-rise situated near the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Reacting to the tragedy, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz published a series of statements on X, expressing gratitude to the emergency responders and confirming that state representatives are actively assisting local police departments.
Walz posted, “Grateful to law enforcement actively working to ensure the safety of our neighbors in Downtown Minneapolis this afternoon. Minnesota is praying for our first responders.”
Sharing her grief, Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Lisa Demuth stated that she is praying for everyone affected by “this heinous crime”.
This bloodshed in Minneapolis unfolded on the very same Wednesday that another shooting occurred at Westwood Hills Elementary School, located in the city of Waynesboro, Virginia.
Officials reported that a 19-year-old shooter forced his entry into the primary school on Wednesday morning, where he shot and injured a staff member before taking his own life. These back-to-back acts of violence occurred shortly after weekend mass shootings plagued the cities of Chicago, Illinois, and Trenton, New Jersey, on Sunday, claiming at least three lives and injuring 18 people.
Source: Al Jazeera (adapted)
