Pattern of Violence in Downtown Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Two men are in the hospital, three are in custody and a police officer is on leave following a gun battle in downtown Minneapolis' Warehouse District.
Sgt. Steve McCarthy of the Minneapolis Police Department said an officer spotted two groups at 2nd Avenue North and 3rd Street shortly after 2 a.m. Monday morning.
One person was firing a gun. Another officer fired at the shooter, which sent the group scattering.
Officers were able to detain six people for questioning, and eventually arrested three on suspicion of misdemeanors.
It's the latest shooting in what police are calling a pattern of violence on Sunday nights in warehouse district.
NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Edgar Linares Reports
Podcast
Some clubs offer "18 and up" admission on Sundays.
Police have responded by having extra patrols on duty, but local business owners are hoping something else can be done to keep the area safer.
Chad Olsen, manager of Choice Gentleman's Club, is one of these concerned owners.
"They have to do something," said Olsen. "If that means picking everybody up for the petty little stuff just to get them off the street, then that's what they got to do."
Olsen says he's been working in downtown Minneapolis for 18 years and has never seen business so dead.
At Nami restaurant on the corner of First Ave and 3rd Street, the front door has a sign saying "Guns Are Not Allowed on the Premises."
Nami owner Ji Chow says any downtown violence has affects local businesses.
"With all the violence that's been happening on Sunday nights it doesn't affect us as much because we're not open on Sunday's," said Chow. "But any time there's violence it does deter people from wanting to come downtown."
Chow says perhaps re-examining the "18 and older" admission might be a good idea.
Last October, the popular nightclub Karma closed its doors for good.
The club was located at 315 First Avenue and it was open to the 18 and older crowd.
It closed after the owner failed to renew the club's liquor license.
Karma had been under severe scrutiny after police were called there more than 150 times for disturbances.
Incidents ranged from shootings to stabbings and altercations that started near the club and eventually spilled out into the streets.
The city of Minneapolis considered the club a "public nuisance."
"There's a lot of reason why people don't want to come downtown at times, and I think this another one to add to it," said Chow. "It's not helping us in any way."
The two men wounded in Monday morning's shooting are expected to survive.
Police said the incident is still under investigation.
