A police officer and two people were killed in a horrific mass shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota Thursday.
The dangerous incident broke out in the city’s Whittier neighborhood around 5.30pm as officers responded to shots fired at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Blaisdell Avenue South.
The Minneapolis Police Department said that when they arrived, they were ‘immediately met with gun fire.’
Police identified the deceased officer as Jamal Mitchell, 28. Another officer was hospitalized and several others were injured.
The unidentified suspect is also dead, authorities said. One of the victims died at the scene, while another suffered catastrophic injuries.
A mass shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota left a police officer and two people dead on Thursday night. Several others were injured, including another officer
Another person believed to be an innocent bystander was shot when officers arrived. The condition of the surviving officer was not immediately made clear but they are expected to recover.
A resident near the scene told 5 Eyewitness News that she heard five ‘loud pops’ go off before she saw people running from a man with a gun.
The woman said that she soon realized that gunshots were being fired before multiple police officers responded to the area and told people to stay inside.
Other witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots ring out. As of 6pm, police blocked off part of the area and asked residents to avoid the scene.
A firefighter also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Police identified the deceased officer as Jamal Mitchell, 28. Another officer was hospitalized and several others were injured
Drew Evans with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said that Mitchell was ‘ambushed’ while he tried to provide medical assistance to two men who were injured.
Mitchel and the other officer were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
‘He was courageous in every action that he did,’ Katie Blackwell, Assistant Chief of Operations at the Minneapolis Police Department said.
‘He was a wonderful human being. He had only been at our department about a year and a half and he was exceptional in every way,’ Blackwell added.
Mitchell has been remembered for his brave work in the police department, including when he rescued an elderly couple from a burning home in February 2023, CBS News reported.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that it was only Mitchell’s third day on the force when he saved them.
Other witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots ring out. As of 6pm, police blocked off part of the area and asked residents to avoid the scene
The condition of the surviving officer was not immediately made clear but they are expected to recover. (pictured: Minneapolis police officers gathered outside of Hennepin County Medical Center)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city ‘lost a hero in police officer Jamal Mitchell.’
‘This officer gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and save the lives of others. His life, his service, and his name will forever be remembered in the City of Minneapolis.’
‘[Mitchell] was a hero, a son, a father, a fiancé, an officer who was so deeply committed to protecting and serving, he would run towards danger when the rest of us would run away.’
‘We will never forget what he did for the people of our city. The lives that he protected, the lives that he saved,’ Frey added.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said: ‘The State of Minnesota stands ready to provide any resources necessary. Praying for all the first responders on the ground working to keep the community safe.’
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the shooting.