Night Of Violence In Minneapolis Leaves 1 Stabbed, 8 Shot
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Three shootings in north Minneapolis overnight left eight people with gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, a man was also stabbed on the city's south side.
The Minneapolis Police Department says the shootings happened over a span of three hours. All of the victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
So far, no arrests have been made. All of the incidents are under investigation.
5 Injured Outside North Minneapolis Bar
The shooting with the most victims happened around 1 a.m. Wednesday outside the Broadway Pub and Grill on West Broadway Avenue, near the intersection of North 2nd Street.
Investigators believe an argument erupted into gunfire outside the bar. Five people were injured, three men and two women. Two of the victims were found at the scene while the three others were dropped off at Hennepin Healthcare for treatment.
In June, seven people were shot outside of this same bar. One of them died.
Man Shot In Car
The first shooting to happen overnight occurred around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday on the 2200 block of West Broadway Avenue.
A man reported that he was sitting in his car when a person approached and shot him. The man was brought to Hennepin Healthcare for treatment.
Two Juveniles Shot
The second shooting of the night happened shortly before 11 p.m. on the 3700 block of Morgan Avenue North.
According to investigators, a suspect (or suspects) in a vehicle shot at two juveniles who were inside a moving car. Both of the juveniles were hit, causing them to crash into several parked cars. The suspect car sped off.
Emergency crews brought one of the victims to North Memorial Medical Center for treatment. The other victim suffered a superficial gunshot wound and did not need to be hospitalized.
South Minneapolis Stabbing
Hours later, an argument led to a stabbing on the city's south side.
The stabbing happened shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Portland Avenue South and East Lake Street.
Investigators say two men were arguing about money when one of them pulled out a knife. The suspect fled the scene while the victim walked to Abbott Northwestern.
Violence In Minneapolis
Since Memorial Day, violent crime in Minneapolis is up 25% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the police department says it lacks the resources to properly respond to all the calls.
WCCO recently spoke with Mayor Jacob Frey, who said the city is working to improve call response times by shifting officer resources. Officers are also working with community groups to be proactive in addressing violence.
"The cycle of violence is something we take very seriously," the mayor said, "and we're not messing around."
However, one Minneapolis City Council member says police may not be responding to calls to prove a political point, particularly in regards to the council's push to defund the police and replace it with a new apparatus of public safety.
"The patrol numbers are just as strong as they were last year," Steve Fletcher, who represents Ward 3, told WCCO. "The number of 911 calls has not changed, but we are seeing changes in response that really aren't explainable by budget cuts."