2 hurt, one from possible stabbing, at Minnesota State Fair on Saturday night
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — Minnesota State Fair police say its officers had to respond to two violent incidents on Saturday night, including a possible stabbing.
Police say "an altercation involving multiple individuals" broke out at Underwood Street and Carnes Avenue just before 9 p.m. One person suffered an apparent head injury and was treated by medics on-site.
Soon after in the second incident, police say a fairgoer was found with "a non-critical injury to his leg" near the DNR Building off Carnes Avenue and Nelson Street. He was also treated and released by fair medics.
Police say it's unclear how he was hurt, as the victim and some witnesses "were uncooperative with officers." No one was arrested in connection to either incident.
Security has been beefed up at the fair since 2019, when three people were shot and a woman was struck by a vehicle just outside the gates on the fair's last night.
In 2022, there were two separate shootings on the fairgrounds. An 18-year-old man was shot twice in the stomach, and a fairgoer was shot in the leg amid a fight on the Mighty Midway.
Before entering the fair, visitors now have to get through a metal detector and a bag check. There are also now 185 officers from more than 65 agencies who help with security, including several undercover officers who stroll the grounds.
Several dozen "ambassadors" — including officers, neighbors and violence interrupters — also patrol the neighborhoods around the fairgrounds and provide text and email updates to residents.