4 hurt in North St. Paul after gunfire erupts at park
4 hurt in shooting at North St. Paul park
Just before 10:45 p.m., officers responded to the 2100 block of 17th Avenue, near Casey Lake Park, on reports of injuries after shots fired, according to the North St. Paul Police Department. Authorities say shots were fired while a group was gathering at the park Saturday evening. Several law enforcement agencies assisted North St. Paul police during the incident.
NORTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A shooting at a North St. Paul park left four people hurt Saturday night.
Just before 10:45 p.m., officers responded to the 2100 block of 17th Avenue, near Casey Lake Park, on reports of injuries after shots fired, according to the North St. Paul Police Department. Authorities say shots were fired while a group was gathering at the park Saturday evening. Several law enforcement agencies assisted North St. Paul police during the incident.
Four people were injured in the shooting, and are being treated at the hospital, law enforcement said. Authorities didn't say the extent of their injuries.
People were leaving a graduation party for a DeLaSalle senior when the gunfire erupted nearby. The graduate's father tells FOX 9 that a separate party was happening outdoors, and that is where shots were fired.
The scene of the shooting at Casey Lake Park in North St. Paul. (FOX 9)
"[We were] very scared, [we] heard the gunshots, [I was] trying to go back-and-forth, trying to protect the doors," he said. "It got loud for about three to five minutes nonstop, shots all over the place."
Neighbors across the street say they heard anywhere from 30 to 60 shots fired, and they believe it was automatic gunfire.
"It sounded like fireworks," neighbor Maryann Hammer said. "I got up and I looked and I didn’t see any in the air so I knew it was gunfire."
Bullet holes, casings, and broken glass were still visible Sunday morning, as officers returned to Casey Lake Park to investigate Saturday night's shooting. (FOX 9)
"All you could see was lights flashing everywhere," Hammer finished. "I saw the red car speed out of the parking lot. I saw people running through the park, down the path and behind."
North St. Paul police and the Ramsey County Sherriff's Department are currently investigating the shooting, and are looking for possible suspects. No arrests have been made, but police say there is no known threat to the public.
North St. Paul police are asking anyone with information on the shooting to contact them at 651-747-2444.