Police fatally shoot man during standoff in south Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS -- Police in south Minneapolis fatally shot a man Thursday morning, ending an hourslong standoff that began when a woman reported a man was trying to shoot into her apartment through the wall, a department spokesperson said.
Minneapolis Police Department public information officer Garrett Parten said authorities negotiated with the man, who was believed to be in his 20s, for about six hours before two police officers fired their rifles around 4:30 a.m. The man was hit and taken to Hennepin Healthcare with life-threatening injuries, where he later died.
"This is not the outcome anyone wanted," Mayor Jacob Frey said. "Any loss of life is tragic, and my deepest condolences go out to the family of the individual involved."
Police said the standoff began around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when a mother with two young children reported a man was trying to shoot into their apartment through the wall.
On arrival, officers heard more shots. Police evacuated the woman, her children and other residents.
Officers then began negotiating with a man who had isolated himself inside an apartment. Throughout the night, they attempted to contact the suspect by phone, brought his parents to the scene and used loudspeakers to instruct him to leave the apartment.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the police shooting. The BCA says a firearm was recovered at the scene, and they are reviewing footage to determine if it was captured on body camera.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office will identify the man who was killed.
Victim's identity released
The city of Minneapolis released an incident report Thursday evening identifying the shooting victim as 20-year-old Andrew Tekle Sundberg, a resident of the apartment building where the standoff occurred.
The officers involved in the incident have been identified as Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphine.
Most of the information in the 26-page report was redacted.
City Councilmember Jamal Osman: "My thoughts are with the family"
Minneapolis City Councilmember Jamal Osman, who represents the ward in which police shot and killed a man after an overnight standoff, said his "thoughts are with the family of the victim of the shooting."
Osman posted his response on Twitter, adding that initial reports indicated that MPD officers had been shot at when they arrived.
I am hoping to meet with the chief and Inspector from the 3rd Precinct to learn more today. My thoughts are with the family of the victim of the shooting. ⁰
— Jamal Osman (@JamalOsmanMN) July 14, 2022
As more information is available, I will make sure to share it with you as soon as possible.
Mayor Jacob Frey responds to police shooting: "This is not the outcome anyone wanted"
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has addressed Thursday morning's police shooting in a thread on Twitter.
This is not the outcome anyone wanted. Any loss of life is tragic, and my deepest condolences go out to the family of the individual involved. https://t.co/sODscN0k0T
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) July 14, 2022
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association releases statement
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association has responded to Thursday morning's fatal police shooting.
We want to stress to the public that this is an active investigation. Over the last several years, misinformation, rumors, and innuendos have led to pain and distrust in our community and justice system. We implore everyone to not hastily arrive to a conclusion until all information is known.
We want to thank our members of law enforcement that reacted swiftly and in the face of immediate danger. As they rescued residents from this rapidly unfolding and dangerous situation and attempted to de-escalate this situation, law enforcement remained steadfast in protecting the public. It is not uncommon for law enforcement to put their own lives at risk while protecting others they serve in their communities and this serves as an example of that.
We ask the community keep the family and law enforcement in their thoughts and prayers.
BCA vehicle seen at standoff scene
WCCO's Pauleen Le confirmed the BCA is at the scene of a standoff in south Minneapolis
The @MnDPS_BCA is here at the scene of the standoff going on for 9.5 hours near 21st and Franklin in Minneapolis @WCCO pic.twitter.com/6B0qkhvxxq
— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) July 14, 2022
Authorities have yet to provide an update on the standoff or the police shooting to which the BCA was responding.
Unclear if police shooting connected to apartment standoff
It remains unclear whether the police shooting the Minnesota BCA is investigating is connected to an hourslong apartment standoff in south Minneapolis.
We're still waiting to learn if this is connected to the standoff in the Seward neighborhood (going on for eight hours) or if this is something else.@WCCO https://t.co/AoxUE6Sk13
— A.J. Hilton (@AJHilton_News) July 14, 2022
Authorities have been at an apartment on the 900 block of 21st Avenue South since about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Police say officers responded to reports of gunfire, and heard more gunfire on arrival.
Police said they were focused on one individual inside the apartment. Residents were evacuated and police asked people to avoid the area.
Minneapolis SWAT team, negotiators working to end apartment standoff
MINNEAPOLIS – Negotiators are still working Thursday morning to safely end a standoff situation that began Wednesday night in Minneapolis.
Police say officers responded to reports of gunfire at an apartment building on the 900 block of 21st Avenue South at about 9:34 p.m. – and arrived to the sound of more gunfire.
Officers from all over Minneapolis were soon called in to help evacuate nearby residents from the area.
Police say the "focus is now on one individual inside an apartment," and they are asking for people to stay away from the area. There were no reported injuries as of late Wednesday night.