MINNEAPOLIS — Three people, including the suspected gunman, were killed and six others were injured after gunfire erupted inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building Wednesday, sending residents fleeing or sheltering behind locked doors as police rushed into the building. Five people were wounded by gunfire, including two Minneapolis police officers, while a third officer suffered another injury during the response. Authorities said all three officers were in stable condition.
Police received the first 911 call shortly after 4:30 p.m. and were inside the building less than two minutes later, Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson said. Officers found victims and followed the sound of continuing gunfire to an upper floor, where they encountered what Peterson described as a haze that sharply reduced visibility. One officer was shot in the leg and another was struck twice in the abdomen as police confronted the gunman and worked to evacuate residents.
One victim was pronounced dead at the scene and another died after being taken to a hospital. The suspected shooter was also found dead, although authorities had not immediately established publicly how the person died or released an official identity. Peterson said police were already familiar with the individual. “I’m truly sickened by this level of violence,” he said, while praising officers who entered the building despite continuing gunfire.
Witnesses described a frightening rush to escape. Resident Julius Bailey told The Associated Press he heard gunshots and saw a man he recognized from the building holding a handgun before he ran. Another resident, Chris Miller, said he heard a rapid series of shots and fled outside. Police vehicles, armored units and emergency crews flooded the area near the Minneapolis Convention Center and the Loring Park neighborhood as authorities warned the public to stay away.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said officers’ actions prevented an even greater loss of life, praising them for rescuing victims while under fire. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said state officials were assisting local authorities and expressed support for first responders, while FBI Director Kash Patel said federal agents would provide any resources needed. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and other agencies were also involved as investigators worked to establish what triggered the shooting.
The attack comes just over a year after Minneapolis was shaken by the August 2025 shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School, where two children were killed and more than 20 people were wounded. That attack prompted widespread mourning and renewed scrutiny of gun violence and emergency preparedness. Wednesday’s bloodshed, this time inside a residential building, again puts Minneapolis at the center of a broader U.S. debate over firearms, community safety and how authorities can identify and respond to threats before they turn deadly
