12 Wounded in Two Shootings at Minneapolis Homeless Encampments

Lead: Two mass shootings at homeless encampments in Minneapolis on Monday left 12 people wounded-five injured near East Lake Street and Stevens Avenue around 11:10 a.m., and seven shot around 10 p.m. at South 28th Avenue and East Lake Street.

Nut Graf: The twin attacks mark the fourth and fifth mass shootings in Minneapolis over three weeks, intensifying concerns over public safety at informal encampments and prompting officials to accelerate closure efforts.

Morning Shooting Near Midtown Greenway

  • At about 11:10 a.m., gunfire erupted near the Metro Transit station at East Lake Street and Stevens Avenue, striking five men-one critically-along a busy walkway beside Interstate 35W.
  • Police Chief Brian O’Hara said investigators recovered two distinct groups of shell casings, suggesting at least one exchange of fire, and are reviewing surveillance footage to clarify the sequence of events.
  • Victims were transported to Hennepin Healthcare and North Memorial Health; one grazed victim refused treatment at the scene.

Night Shooting at South Minneapolis Encampment

  • Around 10 p.m., at a private encampment on South 28th Avenue and East Lake Street, seven people sustained gunshot wounds, four with life-threatening injuries, before officers and state troopers secured the scene.
  • Shell casings indicated a possible shootout; authorities are examining whether the two shootings are connected amid conflicting witness accounts.
  • Fire crews extinguished a tent fire that broke out during police processing of the crime scene.

City Response and Next Steps

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced the city would immediately close both encampments, citing urgent safety and public health concerns. The city has filed a lawsuit to enforce closure of the privately owned South 28th Avenue site after previous cleanup attempts were thwarted by the property owner’s resistance.

Law enforcement agencies, including MPD, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, have intensified patrols in affected neighborhoods. Chief O’Hara vowed to pursue all leads to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further violence.