8 people, including 5 teenage boys, injured in south Minneapolis mass shooting

By WCCO STAFF, PAULEEN LE

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Five teenage boys and three adults were injured Sunday in a shooting in south Minneapolis, the neighborhood’s second mass shooting in just nine days. Now, Minneapolis police are asking for the public’s help in apprehending the shooters.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says it happened just before 6 p.m. near the intersection of East Franklin and Chicago avenues in the Ventura Village neighborhood of the Phillips community.

O’Hara says Metro Transit police officers heard gunfire and responded to the scene, followed by Minneapolis police officers. They found three teenage boys suffering from leg wounds in front of Minneapolis Market.

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While officers were treating the victims, another injured boy approached them, who had a graze wound to his shoulder. Those four victims — all between the ages of 15 and 17 — were soon taken to Hennepin Healthcare, where three adult victims soon arrived on foot. One of those victims is an 18-year-old man, and the other two are a woman and a man in their 40s, according to O’Hara.

A 16-year-old boy also showed up at Children’s Minnesota Hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

In total, the eight victims — all of whom are expected to survive their injuries — are as follows:

15-year-old boy Three 16-year-old boys 17-year-old boy 18-year-old man 45-year-old woman 48-year-old man

O’Hara says the victims told investigators they heard gunshots, but didn’t see where they came from.

At least 41 shell casings were found by police one block east at Franklin and Elliot avenues. A nearby residence also sustained damage from two bullets.

Police are working to find surveillence video that might have captured what happened. If you have any information call Minneapolis police, or leave anonymous tips at 1-800-222-TIPS.

O’Hara says they believe two gunmen wearing hoodies, armed with at least one assault weapon, fled northbound on Elliot Avenue on foot. He says they have some leads and are reviewing several security cameras in the area. The ATF is assisting with the investigation.

“This location has been a hot spot for criminal activity in the past, so we do not have any information to indicate this would’ve been random at this time. However, the investigation is in its early stages,” O’Hara said.

Residents in the area say that they feel helpless in the face of gun violence. One neighbor WCCO talked with says violence like this happens all too often, but trying to find a solution is hard.

“Just two blocks that way there was a murder. I think that one was with a knife, actually; here was a knife murder at the corner of Franklin and Chicago, the bus stop there,” Susan Solarz said. “I wish I knew more about how to change it other than just talking to people who make policies, you know. I know how hard it is for them, too.”

On Aug. 11, a mass shooting outside of the punk music house venue Nudieland, located less than a mile southeast of Franklin and Chicago, left one person dead and six others hurt.

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