MINNEAPOLIS — Three people were killed, including a police officer, in a shooting Thursday evening in Minneapolis, according to city officials. The suspect is also dead, authorities said. A second police officer was also critically wounded, CBS Minnesota learned.
In a press conference, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey identified 28-year-old Jamal Mitchell as the officer killed in the shooting. The second officer is expected to recover, officials said.
According to a news release from the city of Minneapolis, the incident began around 5:30 p.m. when officers responded to a shots fired call at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Blaisdell Avenue South, in the Whittier neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers were immediately met with gunfire, the Minneapolis Police Department said.
About two blocks away from the original call’s area, Mitchell had been attempting to provide medical assistance to two men who had been injured when he was “ambushed,” Drew Evans with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said.
One of the original victims died on the scene and another suffered grave injuries. A person believed to be an innocent bystander was also shot while officers were responding. They are in critical condition. Additionally, a firefighter suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Mitchell received recognition for his work with the Minneapolis Police Department in February 2023 after rescuing an elderly couple from a burning home. It was Mitchell’s third day on the job, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
“He was courageous in every action that he did,” said Katie Blackwell, Assistant Chief of Operations at the Minneapolis Police Department. “He was a wonderful human being. He had only been at our department about a year and a half and he was exceptional in every way.”
Witnesses described hearing the gunshots ring out when the incident unfolded.
“Me and my girlfriend, we heard really loud banging at first,” Reuben Molina, who lives nearby, said. “Then we heard it again and again and again in rapid succession. And me and her were like, ‘Oh that’s gunshots.'”
In addition to Minneapolis police, the Minnesota State Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also responded to the incident. Authorities were asking people to avoid the area.
“The State of Minnesota stands ready to provide any resources necessary. Praying for all the first responders on the ground working to keep the community safe,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said in a tweet.
Officers with the St. Paul Police Department were helping with patrols in Minneapolis on Thursday night, according to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting in Minneapolis tonight,” Carter said. “We are praying for our colleagues and the entire Minneapolis community.”
A flood of responses from Minnesota leaders and agencies have been issued following the mass shooting that killed one Minneapolis police officer and two others.
“Once again, a police officer bravely faced danger and tragically lost his life protecting the community,” Minneapolis Police and Peace Officers Association executive director Brian Peters said in a statement.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the incident.
