2 People Shot On Rooftop Of Downtown Minneapolis Restaurant CRAVE
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two people are recovering after being shot early Saturday morning on the rooftop of CRAVE restaurant on Hennepin Avenue. Minneapolis police say no arrests have been made.
This will always be a birthday to remember for Ezekiel Okeleye, but not in a good way.
"I stood still because I know… if someone is shooting at somebody, they are shooting at them with intent," said Okeleye.
The aftermath was so chaotic, officers used pepper spray to contain the situation.
"As people were being evacuated out of the building, a number of small skirmishes broke out. Officers attempted to clear people from the area – they became aggressive with officers," said John Elder, spokesperson for Minneapolis police.
Officers found a woman and a man who had suffered gunshot wounds, both of whom were taken to the hospital. Investigators and detectives have interviewed multiple people about what they saw and heard. Police are still searching for a suspect.
This incident marks another recent example of violent crime in the downtown area.
"A lot of our gun violence incidents, it is not just one shooter and one victim. We are seeing multiple rounds and multiple victims," MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo said.
Chief Arradondo says the solution to the violence includes more resources. He's asking for more beat and community outreach officers as well as a traffic enforcement team and additional investigators.
"This is years of time where, in my opinion, we've neglected the resources to the Minneapolis Police Department with the expansion of our population, with the asks that are constantly being demanded of us," Arradondo said.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office will have increased patrols throughout downtown Saturday night from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Mayor Jacob Frey issued the following statement after Saturday's shooting:
"What our city needs now more than anything is solutions. Chief Arradondo and I share a vision for safety city-wide, and I stand firmly beside him in his push to add more resources and officers to make Minneapolis a safer and more just city."
