Man Found Fatally Shot in North Minneapolis Alley
Minneapolis police are investigating a deadly shooting that unfolded late Thursday afternoon, with illegal drug activity believed to be related.
Officers from the 4th Precinct were called around 4:18 p.m. to a report of gunfire near the 4200 block of Penn Avenue North.
When they arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds in an alley between Penn Avenue North and Queen Avenue North. Officers attempted to provide immediate medical aid, but the man died at the scene.
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Initial information suggests that a confrontation near the street quickly escalated into gunfire. Witnesses told police that two men ran from the scene, while the man who was shot tried to flee westbound into the alley before collapsing.
Minneapolis police forensic scientists processed the scene, collecting evidence as detectives worked to determine what led up to the shooting. Homicide investigators are trying to establish the sequence of events that resulted in the man’s death. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to release the victim’s identity in the coming days. Authorities did not immediately release his age.
Investigators suspect the incident was linked to the “dealing of illegal narcotics,” the department said.
“Gunfire in the middle of a neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon is frustrating and unacceptable,” MPD Chief Brian O’Hara said. “This senseless violence is tragic and unfortunate, but I am confident our investigators will work hard to determine what happened and arrest those responsible.”
The scene in north Minneapolis drew a heavy police presence, with several streets blocked off and the initial shooting location surrounded by police tape. Homicide detectives and family members of the victim were seen arriving at the scene, with one relative visibly overcome after speaking with officers
As of Thursday evening, no arrests have been made in connection to the shooting and the investigation remains active.
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