Downtown Minneapolis mass shooting: What we know so far

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A mass shooting at an apartment building in downtown Minneapolis Wednesday afternoon left two civilians and the suspected gunman dead, in addition to injuring three police officers and three civilians.

Minneapolis shooting: 6 injured, 3 dead

Timeline:

Police said the first shots were reported around 4:30 p.m. at Loring Towers, a high-rise apartment at 15 East Grant Street near the convention center. 

Officers arrived within minutes and found two victims in the lobby. One victim died at the scene and the other died at a hospital.

Police then heard additional shots coming from an upper floor. When officers reached the ninth floor, they encountered an unknown smoke or haze before exchanging gunfire with the suspected gunman.

What we don't know:

Law enforcement say the suspect died at the scene, but it remains unclear how. Authorities have not identified the victims. 

How many police officers were injured? 

Dig deeper:

At least three officers were injured during the initial shooting response. One officer was shot in the stomach, another once in the leg. A third officer was evaluated for a non-life-threatening injury. 

One of the officers was undergoing surgery as of Wednesday, but all three are expected to make full recoveries. 

There were also four officers who "experienced adverse effects after being exposed to an unknown airborne substance," authorities say. 

Additionally, two officers were hurt when their squad car crashed while responding to the shooting. The extent of those injuries was not immediately known. 

Authorities say three other civilians who were shot are also being treated at Hennepin Healthcare. 

Who was the suspected gunman? 

What we know:

Sources confirmed the shooter, who also died during the incident, was 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson II.

Johnson, who lived on the ninth floor, was facing eviction from the Loring Towers after he made concerning verbal statements about using a firearm to a security officer last June. The man denied the allegations cited in the eviction proceedings, and a court hearing was scheduled for Sept. 11.

The backstory:

The suspect was previously accused of assaulting a sibling in 2018. He allegedly hinted at the time that he had a gun and was "not afraid to shoot people in the face."

The man pleaded guilty to destruction of property and denied assaulting anyone. He served four days in jail and was sentenced to probation. During sentencing, a judge said it was clear the man probably had "anger issues."

What we don't know:

Police did not mention a motive for Wednesday's shooting.

What have officials said?

What they're saying:

On Wednesday night, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and interim Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson both spoke about the bravery of the officers involved.

"It’s extremely difficult. You know, it is nothing short of heroic. Our officers go through tons and tons of training, you know, to be able to respond to incidents like this. It’s truly sickening that in my career, 31 years here with the Minneapolis Police Department, this is the third incident like this that has happened in my career," said Chief Peterson. "But our officers have shown that they are willing and that they do respond and run toward gunfire when others are running from it. And it is absolutely heroic."

Mayor Frey added: "I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous this situation was and how heroic our officers were in response. They rescued victims, brought people to safety, helped get approximately four people to the hospital, all while getting shot at themselves. We’re all standing with the victims and families impacted by this senseless act."

What about road closures?

Local perspective:

For hours after the initial shots were fired, police closed several square blocks around the scene and asked anyone who lived in the area to stay away. 

As of Thursday morning, there are still street closures around the apartment building, but many residents who live inside the area have been allowed to return home.

Who responded to the scene?

Big picture view:

Law enforcement agencies from multiple cities responded to the scene, including the Minnesota State Patrol, Hennepin County’s Sheriff’s Office, The Minneapolis Park Police, St Paul Police Department, University of Minnesota Police Department, Maple Grove Police Department, Plymouth Police Department, Edina Police Department, and the Brooklyn Park Police Department. They assisted with 911 response and other activity around the city as needed. The FBI also assisted at the scene.

"This is a tremendously tragic event," said Chief Peterson. "The lives of residents, our community, our officers and other first responders have been significantly impacted. I am thankful to all of our law enforcement partners and want to give a special thanks to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) for its prompt and professional investigative response at this massive crime scene."

Crime and Public SafetyMinneapolisMinneapolis Police Department