Minneapolis Police Department releases data on new task force to solve non-fatal shootings

The Minneapolis Police Department is starting to release some data on its new investigative unit focused on solving non-fatal shootings. The unit called FAST, or Firearm Assault Shoot Team, launched in March.

According to Minneapolis police, in the first three months since the team launched, investigators responded to 46 incidents and 62 victims with non-fatal gunshot wounds

Police data shows that in 2025, investigators closed just over 40% of non-fatal shooting cases. The department hasn't shared how many cases their team has solved since they launched earlier this year. 

Over the last two weekends, a string of non-fatal shootings with multiple victims has added to the investigators' caseload. Early Monday morning, four people were shot in northeast Minneapolis on the 1300 block of Water Street. 

"Those survivors are most of the time forgotten about," said Muhammad Abdul-Ahad, executive director of TOUCH Outreach. "It's a critical need to help prevent it and it's also a critical need on the other side once a person has survived from being a victim of gun violence." 

TOUCH Outreach is one of the violence interrupter groups contracted by the city of Minneapolis. Abdul-Ahad feels oftentimes the victims in non-fatal shooting cases are overlooked. He's glad to see the city making a renewed push to focus on these cases, but believes it takes a broader approach with the community to help prevent these acts of violence before a weapon is used. 

Minneapolis police say the FAST unit has "relieved the current workload for the MPD Homicide Unit" and reduced violent crime by investigating shootings and "targeting repeat violent offenders".

The Minneapolis Police Department is expected to give an update on the unit to city council members on Wednesday afternoon.