Slain Cop Among the Victims in Minnesota Mass Shooting

A 28-year-old cop in Minneapolis was gunned down Thursday afternoon just outside downtown while responding to a shooting that left another five victims injured, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and other local outlets reported, citing sources.

Police confirmed in a statement that a shooting took place, writing that two officers and four civilians were injured in the gunfire. As of 8:15 p.m. local time, however, cops did not confirm if one of its officers had been killed.

Minneapolis police did not respond to a call and voicemail left by The Daily Beast, but Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), who represents a portion of the city, confirmed in a statement that an officer was killed.

“The killing of a police officer in Minneapolis and another officer wounded, plus other victims, is a terrible tragedy,” she said. “We are a waiting for more details.”

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) wrote in a statement of his own that the second Minneapolis officer shot was “fighting for his life.”

“Incessant violence and disrespect for law enforcement is endemic, and we must restore a culture of consequences immediately,” he said.

Police said shots broke out in the city’s Whittier neighborhood, an up-and-coming area that’s home to the Minneapolis Institute of Art and a number of trendy restaurants. Videos from the scene showed officers arriving in armored vehicles, with automatic rifles strapped over their shoulders.

A motive for the shooting has not been released, and cops have not spoken on the status of the alleged shooter. Their last public update was posted at 6:42 p.m. local time.

“This continues to be a fluid situation,” the department said in a Facebook post.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released a statement on the shooting saying he was praying for first responders, but didn’t divulge any information about what took place.

The fallen officer’s identity was not immediately released.

The Star Tribune reported that dozens of officers descended upon a hospital downtown after calls of “officer down” went out over the radio. There, the paper reported that officers wept and consoled each other.