A 34-year-old man was apprehended on Thursday in connection with the deadly shootings of three individuals in Minneapolis, with law enforcement suggesting that an additional fatality the following day might have been an act of retaliation. The city’s police chief, Brian O’Hara, addressed reporters, indicating that the probe into the reasons behind the attacks, in which four people were killed and two severely injured, is ongoing. All victims were Native American, and there is a strong belief among authorities that the violence is linked to gang activities.
The Indigenous community south of downtown Minneapolis was left in shock following these tragic events. Among those who lost their lives in the shootings on Tuesday were a woman aged 20, a 17-year-old boy, and a man who was 27 years old. An additional 28-year-old man and a woman aged 20 were hospitalized with serious injuries. On Wednesday, another 30-year-old man was shot and killed.
The initial incident transpired just before midnight on Tuesday. O’Hara stated that the subsequent shooting, which claimed a single life, is “entirely probable” to be a retaliatory action for the previous three deaths. This second shooting happened at approximately 1 p.m. on Wednesday, slightly over a mile northeast, outside an apartment complex where the offices of the Red Lake Nation tribe are situated.
Despite the clear patterns of violence, O’Hara expressed that it would be speculative to delve further into potential ongoing disputes between the involved parties. However, the notion of gang involvement is supported by the “lived experience” of local residents.
The apprehension of the primary suspect was facilitated by the U.S. Marshals Service, alongside their local fugitive task force, and an FBI SWAT team on Thursday afternoon. As of Thursday evening, the suspect, being held in the Hennepin County jail, had yet to face formal charges.