Police say man connected to Edina shooting also connected to another metro area shooting

Police in Edina, Minnesota, say they believe a man connected to a shooting at Yancy Park in July may have ties to other shootings in the metro area.

Police say that in July, several men and women gathered at Yancy Park for a Field Day event. Around 9 p.m., police arrived after learning of several shots being fired at the park. A resident also reported a bullet entering through her bedroom window while she was home.

According to Edina police, a short time later, a man who attended the Field Day gathering contacted police, stating his gun had been stolen from his car.

He told police that he brought his AR-style pistol to the park and placed it on the front passenger-side floorboard of his car while he played soccer, according to officials. When the shots were fired, the man ran back to his car to learn his gun was missing.

The man denied any involvement in the shooting at the time; evidence recovered from the scene included AR-style casings, police say. Further investigation led officials to believe the man's stolen gun may have been involved.

According to law enforcement, the shooting at Yancy Park may have been related to East African gang activity. They also say the shooting may have been retaliatory.

During the investigation, police collected the man's cellphone and found several photographs of the man possessing guns and using them in an unsafe manner. Police also say the man was involved in a gun-related incident in Hopkins, Minnesota, in late June.

Earlier this month, several law enforcement agencies said shootings around the metro, including at an Eden Prairie High School football game, are connected to East African gangs.