Minnesota Mass Shooting Leaves 3 Dead, Multiple Injured — Gun Violence Continues to Plague Urban America

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A mass shooting at a downtown Minneapolis apartment building Wednesday afternoon left at least three people dead — including the suspected gunman — and multiple others injured, including three police officers, in the latest instance of gun violence to devastate an urban community.

The shooting unfolded around 4:30 p.m. at the Shoreline Plaza apartment complex at 15 East Grant Street in the city’s Loring Park neighborhood . Police were dispatched to the scene within minutes of the first 911 call, entering the building and encountering victims in the lobby while hearing additional gunfire .

The Attack: A Custody Exchange Turned Deadly

The shooting transpired in two parts, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension . The first occurred outside the building during a custody exchange between the suspected gunman and the mother of his child. The suspect shot the mother, then entered the building where he shot two employees on the first floor .

The gunman, identified as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson, then took the elevator to the ninth floor, where he lived alone in an apartment . While on the ninth floor, he shot two residents — 61-year-old Muse Afrah and 63-year-old Dale Henry Spry — both of whom lived in the building .

The victims:

Muse Afrah, 61, a resident of Shoreline Plaza
Dale Henry Spry, 63, a resident of Shoreline Plaza
Carlton Neal Johnson, 35, the suspected gunman, died in an exchange of gunfire with police

The mother of Johnson’s child survived, according to authorities . One of the two employees shot on the first floor is expected to recover, while the other, a woman, remains in critical condition .

The Police Response

Minneapolis police responded with remarkable speed. According to Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson, officers arrived at the scene within two minutes and 26 seconds of the first report .

“Our officers have shown that they are willing and they do respond and run towards gunfire when others are running from it, and it is absolutely horrific.”
— Bill Peterson, Interim Minneapolis Police Chief

Three officers were injured:

Joseph Michnowski, shot in the stomach, underwent surgery
Yahye Ahmed, shot in the leg, was released from the hospital
A third officer was injured by glass when breaking a squad car window to disable its siren

Two additional officers were injured when their squad car was involved in a crash while responding to the scene . Four other officers experienced adverse effects after being exposed to an unknown airborne substance — later attributed to an “exploded fire extinguisher” that created a haze limiting visibility on the ninth floor .

“As officers quickly moved from unit to unit to assist anyone who needed help, I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous this situation was and how heroic our officers were in response.”
— Mayor Jacob Frey

According to the City of Minneapolis, officers’ quick action saved lives. Frey noted that the woman shot during the custody exchange “would not be alive right now” if officers hadn’t quickly applied a tourniquet .

Eviction and Prior Threats

According to court filings, Johnson was facing eviction at the apartment complex after flashing a gun to apartment management and assaulting a resident . Sources told WCCO that he had been evicted from his apartment earlier Wednesday .

A resident of the complex, Chris Miller, told the Star Tribune that Johnson had made previous threats earlier in the week, saying he was going to shoot his ex-girlfriend and the two building property managers . Another bystander told FOX 9 that the shooter grabbed her and said he was going to “kill my baby mama and you’re gonna witness it” .

A Familiar Pattern: Gun Violence in Urban America

The Minneapolis shooting is the latest in a series of mass shootings that continue to devastate urban communities across America. Less than two months ago, a man shot and killed three workers at an apartment building in St. Paul after arguing with apartment managers about his parking garage contract .

In Chicago, a violent weekend in August left at least 41 people shot, three fatally — including 15 wounded in a mass shooting in Washington Park . While Chicago’s overall violent crime has declined significantly from recent peaks — murders are down 27% from 2024 and shooting incidents are down 38% — the continuing toll of gun violence underscores the persistent crisis facing urban communities .

The Bottom Line

The Minneapolis mass shooting is a tragic reminder that gun violence continues to plague urban America. Three people are dead, including the suspected gunman, and multiple others — including three police officers — were injured.

For urban communities, the message is clear: Gun violence remains a persistent crisis that devastates families, traumatizes neighborhoods, and demands urgent action. The Minneapolis shooting, coming just months after a similar attack in St. Paul, underscores the need for comprehensive approaches to gun violence prevention — addressing not only access to firearms but also the root causes of violence: domestic instability, housing insecurity, and untreated mental health crises.

As Mayor Jacob Frey said after the shooting: “The level of heroism that took place yesterday is practically unrivaled.” But heroism alone cannot solve the epidemic of gun violence that continues to claim lives in urban communities across America.