Gunfire erupted outside a Minneapolis nightclub overnight, leaving two people dead and eight others injured, WCCO-TV reports.
The shooting occurred shortly before 2 a.m. in the city’s downtown, where police say two men are believed to have gotten into a verbal dispute outside the Monarch dance club.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the men, who were out on the sidewalk as patrons were leaving the venue around bar closing time, pulled out guns and started firing at each other.
All of the victims are believed to be adults, consisting of five men and five women. The two people who died were both men.
One of the surviving male victims was in critical condition on Saturday morning, while the remaining seven victims were wounded with noncritical injuries, according to the Star Tribune.
Minneapolis Police spokesman John Elder told KARE 11 that officers were in the area when they heard gunshots.
“Officers ran toward the gunfire, at which time there were calls being dispatched of a shooting in that area,” Elder told the television station. “Officers observed numerous people running through the area. It was a very chaotic scene.”
Medics were having a difficult time getting to the scene because of the crowds of people, according to KARE 11. The incident prompted a massive law enforcement response from around the metro area.
Seven homicide detectives are investigating the shooting, according to the Star Tribune. No arrests have yet been made.
As part of their investigation, police will be looking at footage from surveillance cameras in the area.
“As we start pulling more and more video from downtown from the city cameras, from the pole cameras that are out, we’ll be able to identify who the shooters are,” Elder told WCCO-TV.
Elsewhere in the city, five people were shot overnight, including one fatally. There have been 31 people murdered in Minneapolis so far this year.
Elder urged the public to “to put their guns down.”
“It’s the same thing we’ve said over and over again: bottom line is people need to put their guns down,” Elder told the Star Tribune. “It’s as simple as that. There needs to be other ways to solve differences.”
To report information about the shootings in Minneapolis overnight, call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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