Minneapolis police are investigating a mass shooting that took place outside a nightclub early Sunday morning, seriously injuring two people and wounding seven others.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, a large group was gathered outside Reign Event Center when the gunfire began before 12:30 a.m.
Police found four people wounded at the scene and five other victims showed up at hospitals around Minneapolis.
Bill Peterson, the interim chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, shared an update on Sunday during a news conference, saying, “Early this morning, Minneapolis faced another senseless act of violence. Just after 12:25 a.m., officers responded to a shooting outside the Reign Event Center that ultimately left nine adults injured, including two men with potentially life-threatening injuries.”
Peterson said that the attending police “encountered a chaotic scene with multiple victims and a large crowd.”
“Preliminary information indicates a large crowd gathered outside the Reign Event Center awaiting entry when gunfire erupted. Today our focus remains on the victims and their families,” he continued. “This was a brazen act of violence in a crowded entertainment district where innocent people were placed at tremendous risk. That is absolutely unacceptable.”
“Firing a gun into a crowd of people demonstrates a complete disregard for human life. This incident is an unthinkable, disgusting and cowardly act. We will use every investigative resource available to identify everyone involved and ensure they are held accountable,” Peterson added.
Peterson said that the two victims with life-threatening injuries are expected to survive.
Police said the victims were seven men and two women, all between the ages of 18 and 27.
During the news conference, Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette said, “Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this senseless act of violence. We’re committed to holding those responsible for violence in our city accountable. I have every confidence in the investigators working on this case.”
He encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact the Minneapolis police or Crime Stoppers.
“Any amount of information is crucial and anyone with information is strongly encouraged to provide that to police,” he added.
In a statement, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the shooting “intolerable.”
“This is a stark reminder that keeping our streets safe requires every tool available. We need partnerships where the perpetrators of these acts are arrested and prosecuted, we need to continue hiring more police officers to both investigate and prevent gun crimes, and we must embrace proven technologies from drones to ShotSpotter that allow our police to do their jobs with greater efficiency,” Frey said.
As of Monday, no arrests had been made. The investigation is ongoing.
Based on reporting by Global News.