2 shot, 1 fatally, at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS -- A man is dead and another is badly injured after a shooting at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis Sunday afternoon.
Police say they responded to reports of gunfire at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue at about 12:50 p.m., where they found one injured man in the middle of the street, and another in a nearby alley. Both victims were in their 20s.
Both were taken to Hennepin Healthcare, where one of the men died. He is the city's 58th homicide victim of 2022. The other man is fighting life-threatening injuries.
Just a week earlier, 29-year-old Mohamed Omar was shot to death near the square.
Jeanelle Austin, a caretaker of the square, sees the intersection as a place for neighbors to love each other, grieve and process trauma.
"If we can actually have access to integrative health and wellness resources that we can be actively promoting ... in the context of community, we can get those resources out there," Austin said.
Austin believes in a community-centered holistic approach to safety that goes beyond policing. The more people who get well, the safer society will be.
Samuel Willis Jr., the owner of the restaurant Just Turkey less than a block from the memorial, feels more officers are needed.
"We have people that don't want to come to the area ... so we have a lot of tourists that come visit more than the people from the community," he said. "Why don't we have sheriffs there in the area? Why don't we have police in the area walking around making a presence?"
Minneapolis Police Department Public Information Officer Garrett Parten says there's reason to believe extra patrols will be coming to the square.
"We consider the resources that we have, we look at crime trends throughout the city, especially as it relates to violent crime," Parten said.
Police are looking for at least one suspect in Sunday's shooting, which happened with lots of people around. Also, police say there are unconfirmed reports that potential evidence -- including a gun -- may have been removed from the scene before officers arrived.
"It takes a community," Parten said. "It takes all of us joining together and saying no to this violence."
Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip online to Crime Stoppers, or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
