4 killed, 1 hurt in possible gang-related shooting in Minneapolis
Four people were killed and one more was hurt in a shooting late Tuesday night in Minneapolis that police said may have been gang-related.
The shooting occurred at East 25th Street and Bloomington Avenue just before midnight, according to the city's police department.
Five people were found injured near an alleyway, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. A 20-year-old woman, a 27-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene.
A 20-year-old woman is still hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. A 28-year-old man died from his injuries Thursday evening, his family tells WCCO.
O'Hara said preliminary investigation suggests some of the victims were targeted, and the shooting was possibly gang-related.
"Tonight, our city is grieving after a relative period of peace, the likes of which had not been seen in at least five years. That peace has been shattered," O'Hara said overnight Wednesday. "There are families that are suffering tonight, that are grieving. This is an absolutely senseless tragedy."
Wednesday afternoon's press conference was delayed due to another fatal shooting that occurred just three blocks from Tuesday night's scene. O'Hara said a man in his 30s was shot just after 1 p.m. and died at the scene. He said a stray bullet narrowly missed hitting two young children inside a nearby vehicle.
"What is even more disturbing than everything else we've already been talking about, is that one round from this shooting struck an SUV. It went through the back door of the SUV and just beneath the legs of two children in child seats, an infant and a toddler," O'Hara said. "We've been hearing from people in the community, that they believe people know what's going on here, and that's why just like I said last night, we need people from the community to come forward, even anonymously, and help us. We're tracking leads. I am confident in the law enforcement response that's been going on the last several hours."
O'Hara was joined by Mayor Jacob Frey at Wednesday's presser, with Frey noting the burst of deadly violence that occurred about 13 hours apart involved members of the city's Indigenous communities.
"The homicides that took place last night and today are absolutely unacceptable. Our entire city is grieving right now and we know that," Frey said. "Our Native community is feeling that trauma quite acutely. We are making sure that every available resource is utilized to catch the perpetrators of these horrible crimes."
O'Hara said his department and city leaders are working with the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors Association, adding that their "collaboration has been instrumental in guiding our community response."
"Violent incidents of this magnitude leave a deep impact not only on the American Indian community, but on our officers, our investigators and our community as a whole," O'Hara said.
The Red Lake Nation of Chippewa Indians also says its increasing security around the Red Lake Nation Embassy and among other places in light of the shootings.
The Minneapolis American Indian Center says it's postponing its open house and pow wow that was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Instead, a prayer service will be held at 10 a.m. at Cedar Avenue Field Park which will include a bonfire, as well as drumming and singing.
The Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors notes there will be "an elevated law-enforcement presence" at the event.
"Things are being canceled out of respect for our grieving community. We realize we mourn with the families that are grieving. There are many in the community who either are related to them, or worked with them or had them as students or patients or clients," the group said on social media.
The city has now seen 13 homicides so far this year. While that's still lower than the three-year average of 22 for the city, O'Hara says that's still 13 too many.
Several agencies are working with police to investigate both shootings, including the FBI and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, O'Hara said.
School honors teen killed in Tuesday night shooting
Inside Augsburg Fairview Academy, a void can be felt after 17-year-old Joey Goodwin was one of three people shot and killed just before midnight in south Minneapolis
"He was just a big presence that was known around here," said Eli Balbach, Augsburg Fairview Academy art teacher.
Flowers and balloons now sway where the tragedy unfolded as many gather to honor him. For his family, the pain isn't new.
Augsburg Fairview Academy Executive Director Heidi Anderson said Goodwin's older brother was killed back in October, and that family has been through a lot.
Anderson remembers Goodwin for his kindness and his desire to learn how to knit and crochet.
"A staff member today (Wednesday) brought yarn to give to him, unfortunately, he wasn't here to get that or learn," she said.
For some of his classmates, they painted through the pain. Along a wall of canvases, one saying "Long Live Joey" is hard to miss.
"He had big bushy head of hair and always wore a hoodie," Balbach said.
Another painting Goodwin made will always hang in Balbach's art class for two reasons: the intense detail Goodwin used and it being the last completed art piece he made.
The school hopes to honor Goodwin by planting a memorial tree — a space where his loved ones can gather for years to come.
The Red Lake Nation of Chippewa Indians says it's increasing security around the Red Lake Nation Embassy and among other places in light of the shootings.
