A violent confrontation in downtown Minneapolis on Wednesday afternoon left two people dead and at least five others injured, including three police officers. The incident, which occurred near 15 East Grant Street, concluded with the death of the suspected shooter.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene at 4:36 p.m. following reports of gunfire. Officers arrived within two minutes of the initial 911 call and discovered an individual who had been shot inside a high-rise apartment complex. Minneapolis Police Public Information Officer Garrett Parten stated that officers entered the building and tracked the sound of gunshots to an upper-level floor, where they encountered a haze that significantly limited their visibility.
During the exchange, three officers sustained injuries. One officer remains in surgery, while another is being evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries; a third officer was also wounded. Additionally, four other individuals were transported to a nearby hospital, where one person succumbed to their injuries. Sources indicated to WCCO that the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. While an official motive remains under investigation, reports suggest the suspect had been evicted from his apartment earlier that day.
Law enforcement sources identified the suspect as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson. Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson noted during a press conference that the department was familiar with the individual, though he did not publicly name him at the time. The massive law enforcement response included agencies from St. Louis Park, Edina, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota State Patrol, transit police, and surrounding sheriff’s departments, alongside the St. Paul ATF field division.
The scene at the intersection of Nicollet and Grant saw an extraordinary mobilization of resources, including two armored SWAT vehicles and numerous ambulances. One officer was involved in a squad car crash on Nicollet Avenue while responding to the emergency. Witnesses nearby described a chaotic environment, with residents of the apartment complex reportedly barricading themselves in bathrooms as they heard banging and shooting. One resident, Shawn Mosby, described staying on the phone with her daughter, who was helping a friend move into the building during the lockdown.
Witness Abdiwakil Mohamed, who was driving on La Salle Avenue, reported hearing three rifle-like gunshots and witnessing an officer being struck while inside a vehicle. He described the suspect firing from a high vantage point, forcing officers to converge on the building from multiple directions. Another witness noted seeing an officer check their own body for wounds after the initial gunfire.
State and federal officials have pledged their support to the local investigation. Governor Tim Walz confirmed that state officials are on the ground assisting local law enforcement, while FBI Director Kash Patel stated he is prepared to offer all necessary federal resources. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison described the event as horrifying, expressing his support for the injured officers and their families.
This incident follows a series of recent violent events in the region, including a shooting involving a 13-year-old boy in Minneapolis, a double shooting in Brooklyn Park, and a separate incident in St. Paul where two teenagers were shot. City leaders have been actively discussing safety strategies in the wake of a violent Labor Day weekend. The report also notes that where officers armed with long guns kept watch on the building for an extended period, the focus of the response centered on an apartment complex on Grant Street. The report also notes that and ambulances lined both the immediate area and the block leading toward downtown, two heavy armored SWAT vehicles were staged at the intersection. The report also notes that where people could be seen inside windows, believed to be residents remaining in their units as police worked to assess the situation, wCCO’s Conor Wight said a crowd gathered nearby appeared to spot activity around the eighth floor of the complex. The report also notes that just making sure they barricaded the door, hiding in the bathroom, i’ve been on the phone with her. The report also notes that including the police officers injured, my deepest thoughts are with those killed and hurt. The report also notes that he added, the officer then slammed on the gas and hit another car. The report also notes that he saw an officer pull off their bulletproof vest to see if they had been shot in the chest. The report also notes that from there, police came “everywhere, they came from every single side,” he said.
Source: CBS News
