A shooting at a Minneapolis apartment building killed two people and left multiple others injured, including three police officers, following a dispute that began during an arranged custody exchange, according to authorities.
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, September 2, 2026, outside a high-rise apartment building in downtown Minneapolis near Loring Park, according to statements from the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans stated at a Thursday news conference that the armed suspect opened fire during the custody exchange outside the building, shooting and wounding his child’s mother before the child escaped without physical harm.
Suspect Movements and Fatal Encounter on the Ninth Floor
After firing outside the building, the gunman went inside and shot two building employees before taking the elevator to the ninth floor, where his apartment was located, according to Drew Evans. On the ninth floor, the suspect allegedly shot and killed two men in their 60s who lived in the building, Evans said. Responding officers tracked the gunfire to the ninth floor, where they encountered the suspect and exchanged gunfire, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The suspect died, and an autopsy is underway to determine his cause and manner of death, Evans noted.
Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson Garrett Parten reported that when officers arrived on the ninth floor, they “encountered a haze that significantly limited their visibility.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey explained Thursday that the haze was likely caused by an exploded fire extinguisher. Four officers experienced adverse effects from the substance, police stated, while two additional officers sustained injuries when their squad car was involved in a crash while responding to the emergency call.
Investigation into Motive and Eviction Proceedings
Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson stated Wednesday that a motive was not immediately clear. However, law enforcement sources told ABC News that investigators are probing whether the suspect had a connection to the building, including whether he was a current or former tenant and whether he was facing an eviction notice. Asked about the potential eviction proceedings during Thursday’s news conference, Drew Evans told reporters that investigators are actively working to determine the exact relationship the gunman had with the victims shot on the ninth floor and whether those residents were connected to information leading up to an eviction process.
Evans emphasized the broader context of the tragedy, stating, “This is once again a situation where domestic violence is center and central to a really terrible situation with multiple people shot.”
Response from Officials and Witness Accounts
Mayor Jacob Frey praised the responding officers, stating that their swift actions prevented further casualties. One wounded officer was shot in the leg, and another was struck twice in the abdomen, Frey said, adding that the officers’ injuries are not considered life-threatening. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expressed relief that the injured officers are expected to make a full recovery and thanked first responders for their intervention. Federal agencies, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in St. Paul and the FBI, deployed personnel to the scene to assist local authorities.
Residents of the building described hearing a rapid succession of gunfire. Julius Bailey told The Associated Press that he heard a woman screaming and counted roughly eight shots after seeing a resident he recognized holding a pistol. Another resident, Chris Miller, told reporters that he heard a rapid burst of gunshots and ran outside to safety after previously encountering someone with a handgun in the hallway earlier in the week and reporting the incident to building management.
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