Police say man fatally shot himself in NE Mpls. after "exchange of gunfire" with officer; BCA investigating
MINNEAPOLIS -- Police said a man fatally shot himself in northeast Minneapolis Tuesday evening after first exchanging gunfire with an officer. State authorities are investigating what occurred.
Police responded to the 3400 block of Fifth Street Northeast around 5:30 p.m. after someone called 911 and hung up. Officers first spoke to people inside a home through a window, then entered the house through the back door.
According to police, a man in the house pointed a gun at an officer, then both sides fired. Police did not say who shot first.
The officers left the home, and according to police, someone in the house "told officers that the adult male with the gun had shot himself." Officers re-entered the home and found a man in his 50s dead of a gunshot wound.
"It is understood that people will want answers quickly to many questions," the Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement. "The MPD shares this desire while seeking answers that are provided after thorough and full investigations. We are asking for patience to allow for that full investigation to take place."
Police said a gun was recovered from the scene. The officer who fired at the man was briefly hospitalized for treatment. Both responding officers were wearing body cameras, and they were recording, according to police.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Community Safety Commissioner Cedric Alexander said that video will be released after discussions with the city attorney and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The BCA is investigating the encounter.
Alexander also said authorities believe the man "took his own life," but it's unclear whether he was injured in the initial exchange of gunfire.
A woman and two children were also inside the home.
