Up to 60 shots fired outside Maplewood nightclub

Police say between 30 and 60 shots were fired outside of a Maplewood night club early Saturday morning, causing hundreds of people to flee the area and leaving five with gunshot injuries.

Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell said it started with an argument inside Stargate Nightclub, which ended with a shooting.

That prompted everyone inside to flee the building.

"That erupted into further gunfire in the parking lot. And then as people got into vehicles - many just to leave to get out of the area - , these people who were shooting got into some of the vehicles," he said. "And then shots were fired from vehicles. there was a crash that occured at the intersection of Rice and Larpenteur. And then it appears that there were some shots fired on the St. Paul side."

Schnell said no arrests were made during the melee, because so many incidents were happening at the same time.

"It was very chaotic, really a dangerous situation," he said, adding that one officer felt a bullet fly by his head. "And yet, when it was all done, it appears right now that five people were wounded by gunfire, and none of the injuries appear life threatening."

The chief said police have descriptions of shooters, vehicle identifications and license plates, and bullet casings from the scene.

Stargate has been the scene of several violent incidents, including in 2015 when a security guard at the club fatally shot a man after the man and friends were asked to leave the club and attacked the guard.

Schnell says the owner of the club just met with Maplewood City staff and council members who are concerned about safety and security at the club, and they're scheduled to meet again.

"We had been intending to bring him before the city council on the 27th of February to look at perhaps some sanctions and increasing some conditions," Schnell said. "Obviously this incident will elevate the significance of that meeting with the council."