Shooting near Minneapolis apartment leaves one dead, six injured, two officers hit

At least one person has been killed and another six injured in a shooting near a downtown Minneapolis apartment building.

Minneapolis police rushed to the Loring Park neighborhood shortly after 4:30 p.m. local time Wednesday in response to the shooting, in which two officers were struck.

“It was pop-pop-pop-pop and it was a bunch more after that, and then I went upstairs,” witness Anthony Strong told The Minnesota Star Tribune. Strong said he was smoking behind the apartment building when shots rang out.

Hospital officials confirmed the number and conditions of shooting victims to the Associated Press. Their identities are unknown.

One officer was shot in the leg and another in the stomach, according to reports. The current condition of the officers remains unclear.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote on X that city cops were working with Minnesota State Patrol and other local law enforcement agencies and urged people to avoid the area.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said his public safety team was also responding to the shooting.

“State officials are on the ground to support local law enforcement and we will share more information as it becomes available,” the Democrat wrote on X Wednesday evening.

Special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded.

Authorities have yet to reveal a motive for the shooting.

In a follow-up post, Walz said he was “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.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said in an X post that the bureau was “aware of the shooting in Minneapolis involving law enforcement and our personnel are responding — we will offer any and all resources necessary to assist local authorities.”

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is a Republican candidate for governor, wrote on X, “I am aware of reports regarding a shooting in downtown Minneapolis.

“I am praying for the victims of this heinous crime, and I'm incredibly thankful for the massive response of our brave law enforcement officers.”