MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The family of Gabriel Mendoza is still searching for justice more than three years after he was killed while working security outside a nightclub in Uptown.

Remembering a night that changed everything

What we know:

Mendoza was working security outside the Firehouse Restaurant and Lounge in Uptown when he was shot just before midnight on a Saturday in October 2022. 

He was in the back of the building, surveying the area and making sure things were safe when shots were fired.

“He’s surveying the ground making sure things are safe and secure, gets caught in crossfire, gets hit in the neck and is still able to usher people inside who were out here into safety,” said Katrina Mendoza, Gabriel’s mother. “That’s what I believe, I don’t know for sure though.”

Police and Mendoza’s family believe there were many people outside the club that night who may have seen or heard something important. 

Investigators think it’s possible some witnesses have not come forward, either because they believe their information is not significant or they assume someone else has already spoken to police.

The club where Mendoza worked is no longer there, but for his mother, returning to the area is still painful. 

“I get a physical reaction when I come into this area like right now as I’m talking to you I feel completely nauseous. This is where somebody took my son’s life, and he was such a light in the world, not just our family but in the community,” said Mendoza.

A mother’s determination and community outreach

Why you should care:

Mendoza’s family has never stopped seeking justice. His mother, Katrina, has rented an LED billboard in hopes of getting answers and calls the investigator on the case weekly. She has also started a nonprofit called The Blue House to help other families dealing with unsolved murders find support and resources.

“I’m hoping the reason that people haven’t said anything is because they don’t think they have enough information, but they might have the missing piece of the puzzle,” said Mendoza.

When asked about her determination to find justice for her son, Mendoza said, “Until my last breath. I’ll be out here telling his story.”

Gabriel Mendoza was known for his serious, protective energy at work, but those who knew him personally remember his sense of humor, love for break dancing and music, and his talent in sports. He was a protector, especially for those who needed it most.

Mendoza’s family and police continue to ask anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Callers can remain anonymous, and every detail could help bring closure to a family and a community still searching for answers.

What we don’t know:

Police have not identified any suspects, and it’s still unclear who fired the shots that killed Mendoza. 

It’s also unknown if any new leads have come in as a result of the billboard or nonprofit outreach.

In March 2027, the eyes of the college basketball world could be focused on Minneapolis as both the men’s and women’s national tournaments could be played in Minnesota.

We already know for certain that the Target Center will host the first two rounds of the 2027 men’s NCAA Tournament, which is officially set to take place March 19-22, 2027.

Meanwhile, the women’s tournament will be taking place at the same time. And if next year is anything like this year, then Dawn Plitzuweit’s Gophers will be heading into the tournament with a top-16 seed, meaning Williams Arena would once again be hosting first- and second-round games for four teams.

Williams was home to three games in the Round of 64 and the Round of 32 this year, as the Gophers landed a top-16 seed and a No. 4 seed in the tournament. They used the home-court advantage to defeat Green Bay 75-58 in the first round, and then No. 5 Ole Miss 65-63 in the second round. The Barn was also the site for a first-round game between Ole Miss and Gonzaga.

With several key players returning and several highly-rated high school recruits incoming, there’s a decent chance that Minnesota will again be good enough to land a top-16 seed in the tourney and host games on the opening weekend next March.

In fact, Minnesota Star Tribune is reporting that the University of Minnesota has already reserved Williams Arena for the weekend of the first two rounds, currently scheduled from March 19-22.

While hosting games would be great for Minnesota, it would put the Minnesota State High School League in a bit of a pinch since the MSHSL is planning to host the annual girls’ basketball tournament March 17-20.

This year’s girls’ hoops tourney was played at Williams Arena and Maturi Pavilion, so if the Gophers wind up hosting the NCAAs again, it would force the MSHSL to find a different venue or change the dates.

The likeliest candidate if a venue change is required is the University of St. Thomas’ Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul. However, the Wild’s Grand Casino Arena could also be an option, though the Minnesota Wild are already pushed out of town every year for a stretch as the arena serves as the site for the boys’ and girls’ state hockey tournaments, as well as the state high school wrestling tournament.

Grand Casino Arena has hosted basketball in the past, when the Minnesota Lynx played the 2016 playoffs and the 2017 season at the arena while Target Center was being renovated.

MINNEAPOLIS – It was 37 degrees at first pitch Monday, April 6, for the game between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

The “feels like” temperature?

Only 19 degrees.

“It’s the coldest I’ve ever been in a game,” manager A.J. Hinch said.

MONDAY’S ACTION: Defense doesn’t help Casey Mize in Tigers’ 7-3 loss vs Twins

There was no doubt about that as Hinch, in his 12th season as an MLB manager, walked to the mound wearing a beanie – rather than his usual cap – to remove right-hander Casey Mize with one out in the fifth inning, .

The Tigers lost, 7-3, to the Twins in Monday’s opener of a four-game series.

Nobody made excuses.

“I mean, it’s the same for both teams,” said Hinch, who watched his defense make multiple mistakes. “It wasn’t great, but it is what it is. It’s the game scheduled, and we need to play better in the environment regardless of the weather.”

“I definitely think it’s a challenge, but both teams had to deal with it,” said left fielder Matt Vierling, who dropped a ball in the second inning for a fielding error. “As the game went on, it definitely got a lot colder.”

“It was a factor, for sure,” said Mize, who allowed five runs across 4⅓ innings. “It was a tough night to pitch, which made it hard on me, but I didn’t pitch well. The splitter, I could tell, was going to be tough to command from the get-go, just with it being so cold and dry, which made it pretty tough on me.”

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After Monday’s loss, the Tigers entered Tuesday at 4-6, with losses in six of their past eight games.

Left-hander Tarik Skubal – the reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner – got a chance to stop the slide in Tuesday’s game. To do so, he was going to have to try to overcome a similar challenge in his third start of the 2026 season.

More cold weather.

“I don’t like to think about all that stuff when I have to go perform in it,” said Skubal, who owns a 0.69 ERA across 13 innings in his first two starts. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what I feel like. Everyone is playing the same game, so that’s how I treat it.”

From 2023-25, Skubal owns a 2.25 ERA with eight walks and 36 strikeouts across 32 innings in five starts against the Twins.

“You have to go play,” Skubal said. “If you let the environment and the outside factors impact what you’re doing on the field, you’ve already lost. I think that’s going to be more of the mental battle for everyone in here – just play baseball and don’t let the factors dictate how you perform.”

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The Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets moved their Tuesday home games to earlier in the day as temperatures were set to plummet in the afternoon and evening. Back in 2025, the Tigers moved up first pitch for all three games against the New York Yankees at Comerica Park in early April because of “evening wind chills.”

“That’s smart,” Skubal said.

“I would’ve loved it,” Hinch said.

The Twins chose to keep first pitch at 6:40 p.m. local time for both Monday and Tuesday.

There wasn’t any dialogue with the Tigers.

“I’ve told the guys, ‘This is going to be the toughest environment to play in mentally,’” Hinch said, “just because the conditions are going to be the coldest it’s going to be, there’s not going to be a ton of energy in the ballpark when it’s like this, and you got to create your own energy. It’s our reality. There’s no changing it.”

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.