MINNEAPOLIS — Two people were killed and six others were injured after gunfire erupted inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment tower Wednesday afternoon, September 2, 2026. Three Minneapolis police officers were among those injured, including two who were shot. The suspected gunman was later found dead.
Police say two victims were killed and six people were injured in the Shoreline Plaza shooting near Loring Park. The injured include three Minneapolis police officers and three civilians. Two officers were shot, while a third officer was injured during the response. All three officers are expected to recover.
The suspected gunman has been identified in local reporting as Carlton Neal Johnson II, 35. He was found dead after the shooting, bringing the total number of deaths connected to the incident to three — two victims and the suspected shooter.
Johnson was reportedly facing eviction proceedings following earlier allegations involving threats and displaying a firearm. Authorities have not confirmed a motive, and investigators are continuing to determine what led to the shooting.
UPDATE: Multiple victims, including two police officers, reported after a shooting in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to city officials. pic.twitter.com/EhVVBNtoDi
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 2, 2026
The shooting happened at Shoreline Plaza, formerly known as Loring Towers, at 15 E. Grant Street, near Loring Park and the Minneapolis Convention Center. Police received the first 911 report at about 4:36 p.m.
At least one person was killed and five wounded, including two police officers, in a shooting in downtown Minneapolis, police say. https://t.co/MWlJuPapuX pic.twitter.com/ZbHwW2N2MN
— CNN (@CNN) September 2, 2026
How the Minneapolis shooting unfolded
Officers began arriving within minutes and entered the high-rise at about 4:39 p.m. They encountered wounded people inside while additional gunfire was being reported from an upper level of the building.
As officers moved toward the gunfire, police said they encountered a haze that significantly limited visibility. Authorities had not initially established what caused the haze.
Two officers were struck by gunfire and a third officer was injured during the response. One officer suffered a gunshot wound to the leg described as non-life-threatening, while another required surgery. The third officer’s injuries were also described as non-life-threatening.
All three injured officers are expected to recover.
Two victims killed, six people injured
The latest reported toll is two victims killed and six people injured. The wounded include three Minneapolis police officers and three civilians.
One victim died at the apartment building and another died after being transported to a hospital. Hennepin Healthcare treated patients connected to the incident as the emergency response unfolded.
The suspected shooter was also found dead. That means three people died in connection with the incident when the suspected gunman is included, while two were victims of the shooting.
Reports citing law-enforcement sources indicated that the suspected shooter appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators are continuing to reconstruct the full sequence of events.
Suspected gunman identified in local reporting
The suspected shooter has been identified in local reporting as Carlton Neal Johnson II, 35, a resident of the apartment complex.
Johnson reportedly had lived at the complex since March 2025 and occupied an apartment on the ninth floor.
Suspect was reportedly facing eviction
Court records obtained by local media showed Johnson was facing eviction proceedings following allegations involving threatening behavior and a firearm.
According to the reported records, he was accused of assaulting another resident in March. On June 11, he allegedly walked around the property while openly displaying a firearm and entered the management office with the weapon visible.
The records also alleged that he told residents he had obtained a new gun and made threatening statements about killing someone. Two days later, he was accused of displaying the firearm again on a nearby sidewalk.
Johnson denied the allegations. An eviction-related court hearing had reportedly been scheduled for September 11.
Police had been called to the building earlier
Law-enforcement sources cited by local outlets said officers had responded to the apartment complex earlier Wednesday for a disturbance involving Johnson. Reports indicated the dispute may have been connected to the eviction process.
However, authorities have not announced a confirmed motive for the shooting. Investigators must still determine whether the eviction dispute, earlier alleged threats or another factor had any connection to the attack.
The distinction is important because court allegations and previous police contacts provide background but do not establish why the shooting occurred.
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Large police response across downtown Minneapolis
The attack triggered a major emergency response involving Minneapolis police, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota State Patrol and other agencies. Federal authorities, including the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also responded.
Authorities asked people to avoid an area roughly stretching from 12th Street to Franklin Avenue and Hennepin Avenue to Third Avenue South. The University of St. Thomas’ Minneapolis campus issued a precautionary shelter-in-place order, while some transit service was disrupted.
Families affected by the incident were directed to a reunification location at Central Lutheran Church, 333 12th Street South. Readers can follow continuing public-safety information from the Minneapolis Police Department.
The Minneapolis response follows other recent major U.S. emergencies, including the Westwood Hills Elementary School emergency response in Waynesboro.
Authorities have also recently managed complex rescue operations such as the Grand Canyon flash flood evacuation and search effort.
What remains under investigation
Investigators are working to establish the complete sequence of events inside Shoreline Plaza, including where the shooting began, how the gunman moved through the building and the circumstances surrounding each victim.
Authorities are also examining what caused the haze encountered by responding officers and whether the earlier police call at the apartment complex was connected to the later violence.
No motive has been officially established. Investigators are expected to examine Johnson’s previous contacts with police, the pending eviction proceedings and events immediately before the shooting as they determine what led to the violence.
The latest reported toll is two victims killed, six people injured — including three Minneapolis police officers — and the suspected gunman dead.
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