Suspect in Custody After String of Violence Ends in Kandiyohi County
The final scene near Highways 23 and 71 south of Willmar on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. Submitted
Video of the suspect firing shots from the balcony of a south Minneapolis apartment. Posted to social media by bystander
A suspect is in custody after a series of violent incidents that started in south Minneapolis and ended with two shootings and a carjacking in Kandiyohi County.
The initial incident began shortly after 12:30 p.m. when officers responded to reports of shots fired from the sixth floor of an apartment building on the 2900 block of Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis.
Lyndale Avenue was immediately shut down between W. 28th and 29th Streets as officers worked to secure the scene, with the suspect’s ex-girlfriend telling Minneapolis police that he was suicidal, according to initial law enforcement radio dispatches.
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Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said witnesses reported the suspect was firing shots from the balcony of a unit on the sixth floor. There were no injuries reported at the apartment, O’Hara said, and the initial incident is believed to be related to a domestic dispute between the suspect and his ex-girlfriend.
A negotiator made contact with the suspect and he initially indicated that he would cooperate with officers. Officers made entry and were uncertain if the suspect was inside. But by 1:50 p.m., it was learned that the suspect had at some point escaped the building and fled in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee.
According to initial information and not yet confirmed by officials, the suspect fled west out of the Twin Cities at a high rate of speed, eventually shooting a person in the chest and stealing a different vehicle near 150th Street and Highway 7, near Lake Lillian. He then fled the area in the stolen vehicle. The gunshot victim was airlifted to Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis and an update on their condition is not yet available.
At least one of the vehicles the suspect used in his flight was tracked with OnStar and law enforcement had some phone contact with the suspect at points during the afternoon.
The final confrontation occurred just after 2:30 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway 71, just south of Willmar, when the suspect reportedly abandoned the stolen vehicle and shot another motorist in the head. CPR was initiated on the victim, and a medical helicopter was dispatched. The victim was later declared dead at the scene, according to initial radio reports.
The suspect was taken into custody by around 2:35 p.m. without any apparent injuries. Law enforcement has since shut down the area around Highways 23 and 71 as the investigation continues. The earlier lockdown on Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis has since been lifted.
Chief O’Hara confirmed in a late Tuesday afternoon news conference that the suspect was taken into custody near Willmar but more information on how the suspect was able to flee the area of the south Minneapolis apartment has not been released.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the sequence of events and further details are expected to be released within the coming hours. The suspect has not yet been identified. Check back for updates
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