Suspect arrested in connection to fatal shootings near Minneapolis homeless encampments

Minneapolis police arrested one person Wednesday night following a string of shootings throughout the day that left at least two people dead and two others injured near homeless encampments.

The male suspect was arrested 15 minutes after a shooting in the 2300 block of 17th Avenue South where an adult male suffered a potentially life-threatening gunshot wound.

The arrest capped off a deadly and violent day in South Minneapolis that began at 4:40 a.m. with a fatal shooting at a homeless encampment on the 2500 block of 17th Avenue South. One person, a man in his 30s, was transported to Hennepin Healthcare with a potentially life-threatening gunshot wound while a second man died at the scene.

A second shooting unfolded at 4:20 p.m. Wednesday on the 2500 block of Bloomington Avenue South. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters that the victim was shot in the head by an individual who was walking with a group of people.

“I am so proud and grateful for the dedicated work of our officers who worked with urgency and captured a suspected violent criminal who went on a shooting rampage today,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “We will all continue to serve with a sense of urgency to impact the gun violence that continues to occur at an unacceptable level.”

O'Hara, joined by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, spoke to reporters near the scene of the second deadly shooting on Wednesday about the violence that continues to unfold near encampments, particularly in the Third Precinct.

"19 percent of the all the gun violence in the Third Precinct is within about 500 feet of an encampment," O'Hara said. "As of last week, about 22 percent of all shooting victims in the Third Precinct were within 500 feet of an encampment."

Neighbors of the encampment have repeatedly voiced concerns about the violence with city leaders, something discussed Wednesday by Frey who joined WCCO Radio's Chad Hartman.

"It is not compassionate to either the surrounding neighborhoods nor the people at the encampment to allow this kind of thing to happen," Frey said. "It's not fair to anybody and we've gotta stick up for people on both sides of this. We also have to recognize that we're talking about a drug here in fentanyl that takes control of both sides of your brain."

Frey and O'Hara encouraged residents to continue calling 911 and 311 to report issues with encampments.