Night Of Violence In Minneapolis Leaves 2 Dead, 5 Injured
This story was originally published on July 8.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A number of shootings overnight in Minneapolis have left two people dead and at least five people injured.
The Minneapolis Police Department says most of the violence happened in a span of two hours, between 10 p.m. and midnight, with shootings in different parts of the city. So far, no arrests have been made.
The first fatal shooting happened at about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday in north Minneapolis, on the 2100 block of Emerson Avenue. Officers found two men in their early 20s at the scene with gunshot wounds. Emergency crews brought the men to Hennepin Healthcare, where one of them died. This man's death marks the 30th homicide in Minneapolis this year.
The second deadly shooting occurred just before 10 p.m. Officers responded to a report of shots fired near the intersection of 32nd Street East and 2nd Avenue South, on the city's south side. There, police found a man in his mid-20s with multiple gunshot wounds. He was brought to Hennepin Healthcare and immediately went into surgery. Police say he later died from his injuries.
Authorities identified the victim as 25-year-old Jeffrey Suggs-Rice.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office said the individual died of multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death is homicide.
Around 11 p.m., a woman was dropped off at the hospital after she was shot while sitting in a car by the bus depot downtown, near the intersection of 10th Street and Hawthorne Avenue. She is expected to be OK.
Less than an hour later, another man walked into the hospital with a gunshot wound. However, he said he wasn't sure where he was shot.
Earlier in the evening, another woman was shot in East Phillips Park. Investigators say she and several others were on the basketball court when someone started shooting from the street. The woman is expected to survive.
RELATED: Twin Cities Citizens Speak Against Dismantling The Police
Meanwhile, two separate pleas have been heard in the city in the last 24 hours. One is from police, who are urging people to put down their guns.
"Embrace the sanctity of life," said officer Garrett Parten, a spokesman for Minneapolis police. "Certainly, we as officers and the police department will do everything we can in investigating and doing what we can to prevent."
Earlier Tuesday, community activists who live in neighborhoods affected by the recent violence pleaded for a reformed police department to help them solve the problems in the community.
"We need law enforcement to help us solve the problem or it would be more deaths coming to the community, the African-American community," activist Al Flowers said.
He and other community leaders said the people causing this violence are taking advantage of the tragic death of George Floyd. The community activists support reforming the police department but not abolishing and dismantling it.
Last month, several Minneapolis City Council members announced their intention to defund and dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department, which they said was beyond reform.
Meanwhile, the overnight shootings remain under investigation.
To be clear: Black community leaders who live in the neighborhoods affected by the recent violence support reforming MPD and NOT abolishing it.
"If you're for sure that Black lives matter, put those dollars back in our community in education, in housing, in public safety." #wcco
— Christiane Cordero (@ChristianeWCCO) July 8, 2020
