Minneapolis Shooting Update — Two people were killed and at least six others were injured, including two Minneapolis police officers, following a mass shooting Wednesday afternoon at a high-rise apartment building in downtown Minneapolis, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
The shooting happened at the Loring Towers apartment building at 15 East Grant Street shortly after 4:30 p.m. Police officers were dispatched at approximately 4:36 p.m. after receiving an initial report that one person had been shot. Additional emergency calls soon reported that multiple shots had been fired.
Officers arrived at the building around 4:39 p.m. and entered the high-rise after discovering additional victims and hearing continued gunfire. Police said officers followed the sound of gunfire toward an upper floor, while a haze inside the building significantly limited visibility as they worked to locate the source of the shooting.
Three Minneapolis police officers were injured while responding. Two officers were struck by gunfire. One suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was reported to have a non-life-threatening injury, while the second sustained a more serious injury and was undergoing surgery. A third officer was injured in a manner unrelated to gunfire and was being evaluated for an apparent non-life-threatening injury.
Police said one civilian victim died at the scene, while another was transported to a hospital and later died from injuries sustained in the shooting. At least six other people were injured, although authorities had not released the identities of the deceased victims or complete information about the conditions of all those injured.
Authorities identified Carlton Johnson II, 35, as the suspected shooter. Police confirmed that Johnson died following the incident but had not immediately disclosed the circumstances of his death. Reports have circulated about a possible domestic dispute, but authorities had not officially confirmed that the shooting was connected to a domestic incident.
Court records reportedly indicate that eviction proceedings involving Johnson and other occupants of the apartment were filed in late June. Reports also cited allegations that Johnson had made concerning statements involving firearms and had previously been seen displaying a firearm. His reported history of prior arrests involving drug and domestic-related allegations was also being examined as part of his background, but those records do not establish a motive for the shooting.
The incident prompted a major emergency response involving Minneapolis police, ambulances and surrounding agencies. Investigators continued processing the scene, interviewing witnesses and working to determine what led to the violence. The motive had not been officially established, and authorities had not confirmed whether the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute or another conflict inside the building.