A deadly mass shooting inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building Wednesday afternoon left two victims dead and multiple people injured, including Minneapolis police officers.
The suspected shooter, identified by multiple media reports as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson II, was also found dead inside the building. Minneapolis police had not officially released the suspected shooter’s identity as of Wednesday night’s briefing.
The violence unfolded shortly after 4:30 p.m. on September 2 at 15 E. Grant Street, a high-rise apartment building near Loring Park and the Minneapolis Convention Center.
What began as a 911 call reporting gunfire quickly escalated into a massive law enforcement response in the heart of Minneapolis.
Officers Entered the Building as Gunfire Continued
Police received the initial 911 call at approximately 4:36 p.m.
Officers were dispatched and entered the building within minutes, where they immediately encountered victims.
But the shooting wasn’t over.
Officers could hear additional gunfire coming from an upper floor and began moving toward the sound.
When they reached the area, police said officers encountered a haze that significantly limited their visibility.
Two Minneapolis police officers were struck by gunfire during the response. A third officer suffered injuries that were not caused by gunfire.
All three officers were transported to Hennepin Healthcare.
Police said Wednesday night that the officers were in stable condition.
Two Victims Killed
One shooting victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Other victims were transported to Hennepin Healthcare, where a second person later died.
Five people were wounded by gunfire in total, including the two officers.
Authorities had not publicly identified the two people killed as of Wednesday night.
The suspected shooter was also found dead inside the building.
Police did not officially announce during Wednesday night’s briefing how the shooter died, although local media outlets citing law enforcement sources reported that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting left three people dead in total when including the suspected gunman.
Suspected Shooter Identified as Carlton Neal Johnson II
Multiple media reports Wednesday night identified the suspected shooter as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson II.
However, Minneapolis police had not officially released his identity during their initial public briefing.
Court records obtained by local media indicate that the suspected shooter had been living at the apartment complex since March 2025 and was facing eviction.
The eviction proceedings included disturbing allegations involving firearms and threats.
According to court records reported by FOX 9, the man was accused of assaulting another resident at the property in March.
Then, on June 11, court documents allege that he walked around the property openly displaying a firearm and entered the management office with the weapon visible.
The records also allege that he told other residents he had obtained a new gun and “would kill someone.”
Two days later, he was accused of displaying the firearm again outside the building.
The suspect denied the allegations contained in the eviction proceedings.
A court hearing had been scheduled for September 11.
Police have not announced a motive for Wednesday’s shooting, and authorities have not established that the eviction proceedings were the reason for the attack.
Residents Say There Had Been Warning Signs
As details emerged Wednesday evening, some residents described previous encounters that now carry even greater weight.
One resident told reporters he recognized the suspected gunman as someone he had previously seen displaying a weapon.
Another resident told the Minnesota Star Tribune that he had encountered a man carrying a handgun in the hallway earlier in the week and reported the incident to building management.
Witnesses described hearing a rapid succession of gunshots as people scrambled to get away.
One resident said he heard a woman screaming before he ran from the area.
For people living inside the building, what should have been an ordinary Wednesday afternoon suddenly became a fight to find safety.
A Massive Police Response Took Over Downtown Minneapolis
The shooting triggered an enormous emergency response during the evening rush hour.
Minneapolis police were joined by officers and deputies from multiple surrounding agencies as armored vehicles, ambulances and heavily armed tactical teams converged on the area.
Residents and workers were initially told to avoid a large portion of downtown surrounding the scene.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension responded, while the FBI and federal authorities also offered assistance.
By Wednesday evening, officials announced that the scene had been secured and there was no continuing threat to the public.
A reunification center was established at Central Lutheran Church for people affected by the shooting.
Another Tragedy for Minneapolis
For Minneapolis, Wednesday’s shooting brought another painful scene of gun violence directly into a place people called home.
Two people lost their lives.
Five people were wounded by gunfire.
Three Minneapolis police officers were injured while responding to the attack.
Residents were forced to hide, run or barricade themselves inside their apartments as gunfire echoed through the building.
And families were left waiting for information as emergency vehicles filled the streets surrounding Loring Park.
There are still significant questions investigators must answer.
What triggered the shooting?
Who were the victims?
What relationship, if any, did they have with the suspected shooter?
Were previous threats reported to authorities?
And could anything have been done differently before Wednesday’s violence erupted?
Those answers will take time.
What is known is that an ordinary Wednesday afternoon in downtown Minneapolis became the scene of a mass shooting that left two victims dead, several others wounded and an entire community searching for answers.
This is a developing story. Cultural Kare Magazine will update this report as additional information is confirmed.
