Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

A shooting in downtown Minneapolis early Saturday morning killed two young men and injured three others, including two teen girls.

Minneapolis police report the shooting took place just before 2 a.m. on Saturday at 5th Street North and Hennepin Avenue. Officers were breaking up several small groups of fights when they heard shots fired.

All five victims were transported to the hospital. Two of the victims — a 21-year-old man and 20-year-old man — died from their injuries at the hospital.

The other victims include a 23-year-old woman, a 17-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl who suffered “apparent non-life-threatening injuries,” police said.

“Five families had their lives changed last night and our hearts go out to them,” said Katie Blackwell, assistant chief of police for the Minneapolis Police Department, speaking at a press conference on Saturday morning.

Blackwell said one person was arrested at the scene. The incident remains under investigation, but police suspect other people are involved and hope to take them into custody.

another deadly incident near the same intersection just a week prior

. A fight between teens and young adults precipitated that incident, according to police, which resulted in the death of a 16-year-old and the injuries to five others.

Blackwell said there is no evidence yet that the two incidents are connected. She also said they are isolated events where arguments escalate to violence.

“We’ve had an enormous amount of events downtown where we have no problems whatsoever with our late night safety plan,” she said.

Blackwell said starting this weekend, MPD will have even more officers patrolling late nights in downtown Minneapolis, including officers from Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Transit police. MPD is also partnering with a community organization called “21 Days of Peace” to serve as violence interrupters.

Crime, Law and Justice

Homepage

Feven Gerezgiher

Author

MPR News Staff

Additional officers are patrolling in downtown Minneapolis, including officers from Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Transit police.

Two young men killed, three others injured in downtown Minneapolis shooting

Go Deeper.

Like this?