Minneapolis police seek suspect in downtown shooting

Minneapolis police say a skirmish at a downtown bar early Saturday led to a shooting that wounded two people.

John Elder, MPD director of public information, said the incident happened around bar closing time at a rooftop bar located near Eighth Street and Hennepin Avenue.

Elder said the shooting victims, a man and a woman, received non-life threatening injuries.

The scene was chaotic, and Elder said some of the bar patrons got "aggressive" with officers.

"In an attempt to get ... emergency medical personnel in, some chemical irritant was used to move the crowds along," he said.

Elder said the suspect apparently fled the scene before officers arrived; as of Saturday afternoon, no one was in custody. He said the investigation is active.

In the month of July, at least five people have been struck by gunfire at or near popular entertainment sites downtown. Last week a 24-year-old man was fatally wounded.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said Saturday that the department will continue to use the "limited resources" it has to address summer crime issues. Arradondo did not offer specifics, but said he will ask for more "public safety resources and personnel" in budget discussions with city leaders.

Arradondo said any amount of violence downtown or in any part of the city is too much.

"The Minneapolis Police Department will never settle for an acceptable level of violence in our city," Arradondo said outside City Hall. "We're determined to make sure that we keep our city safe."