Minneapolis Police Department's FAST unit making "tremendous difference" in solving non-fatal shootings

Just over a week ago, nine people were shot in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood outside the Reign nightclub. A new investigative team focused on solving non-fatal shootings is working the case. 

The Minneapolis Police Department's Firearm Assault Shoot Team (FAST) launched in March and has been working cases over the last few months.

"We were drowning and now we're breathing," said Lt. Andrew Schoeder. "When the homicide unit was investigating [non-fatal] shootings, if the case didn't happen on video and the victim didn't say that's who shot me, we just didn't have time."

Prior to the launch of FAST, non-fatal shootings were investigated by the homicide unit. Now, Schroeder says FAST responds right away and ensures cases don't fall through the cracks, even when witnesses are uncooperative. He says the investigators are making a "tremendous difference."

The lieutenant says some of their investigations have resulted in charges. One man is in custody and facing charges for shooting two people in downtown Minneapolis on Nicollet Mall. The shooting happened around 8 a.m. and the suspect was arrested a few hours later.

"Even at 9th and Nicollet at 8 in the morning, we would have waited for the next day to get it because our homicide detectives were busy working on homicides, so really the fast team and the fast response is the big success of it," Schoeder said.

Schoeder didn't share how many cases the team has solved in their first few months, but said he hopes to clear 60% of cases this year and believes they can surpass that mark. Last year, the department cleared over 40% of non-fatal shooting cases. 

"These non-fatal shootings are failed homicides, and it's only a matter of time or a millimeter before someone is killed, so we have to get these shooters off the street," he said. 

The Minneapolis Police Department said 138 victims have been shot in the city this year in 123 shooting incidents. Schroeder said that most of the gunshot victims and the suspects in these cases are black males under the age of 39, adding around half of the victims live outside of Minneapolis.

FAST is made up of investigators from several agencies, including Bloomington, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and St Paul.