Two civilians and a suspected gunman are dead after a shooting inside a high-rise apartment building near downtown Minneapolis on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Six other people were injured, including three Minneapolis police officers, in an incident that triggered a large emergency response near Loring Park and the Minneapolis Convention Center.
The shooting occurred at Shoreline Plaza, formerly known as Loring Towers, at 15 East Grant Street. Minneapolis officials said three civilians were shot and survived, in addition to the two civilians who died. Two officers suffered gunshot wounds and a third officer sustained another injury.
Police Entered Building Within Minutes of 911 Call
A 911 call reporting gunfire came shortly after 4:30 p.m. Minneapolis police officers were dispatched and entered the apartment building less than two minutes later, Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson said.
Officers encountered victims before hearing more shots from an upper floor. Police followed the gunfire and entered an area filled with a haze that significantly restricted visibility. Authorities have not determined publicly what caused the haze, according to Associated Press reporting.
Two officers were shot during the response. One was struck in the leg, and another was shot twice in the abdomen. A third officer suffered a separate injury. Hennepin County Medical Center said all three were in stable condition, while Peterson said they were expected to recover.
One civilian died at the scene. Another was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center and later died. Three additional civilians who were shot were also taken for treatment. The suspected shooter was found dead inside the apartment building.
Minneapolis officials also reported injuries among other responders. Four officers experienced adverse effects after exposure to an unidentified airborne substance, and two officers were hurt when their squad car crashed while responding to the shooting.
Suspected Gunman Identified by Local News Outlets
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Minneapolis police had not publicly identified the suspected shooter in the city’s latest official statement Wednesday night and said investigators had not determined how he died. Police did confirm that officers were familiar with the person before the shooting.
KSTP, KARE 11 and FOX 9 subsequently identified the suspect through sources as 35-year-old Carlton Johnson II. KSTP reported that Johnson had been involved in pending eviction proceedings at the apartment complex. His identity had not yet been announced through the Minneapolis Police Department’s public update.
Court records cited in local reporting said property management accused Johnson of displaying a firearm, making statements about killing someone and assaulting another resident. Johnson denied the allegations contained in the eviction case. A hearing had been scheduled for September 11.
Police have not established a motive for Wednesday’s shooting, and the eviction dispute has not been officially identified as the reason for the attack.
Latest Verified Update on Officers and Investigation
@nbcnewsTwo people were killed and others were injured, including three police officers, after a shooting in downtown Minneapolis, officials say. Bystander video captured people laying on the ground as law enforcement responded.
By Wednesday night, authorities said the immediate public threat had ended. Multiple agencies assisted Minneapolis police, including the Minnesota State Patrol, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department and several suburban departments. The FBI also responded.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was involved in processing what Peterson described as a large crime scene. Investigators must determine the sequence of gunfire, establish how the suspected shooter died, and identify any connection between the victims and the gunman.
Police also have not publicly released the names of the two civilians who were killed.
Shooting Brings Renewed Attention to Shoreline Plaza
At least two people, including the suspected gunman, were killed in a shooting at an apartment building in downtown Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/YVLlXaNb2R
— Firstpost (@firstpost) September 3, 2026
Shoreline Plaza has previously been the scene of deadly violence. Two men were killed in a shooting inside the same building in September 2025 following what police described at the time as a dispute among residents who knew one another, according to reporting from Bring Me The News.
Wednesday’s Minneapolis shooting brought another major police operation to the property, this time involving officers entering an occupied high-rise as gunfire continued on an upper floor.
The investigation remains active. Authorities have asked anyone with information about the attack to provide it to law enforcement as investigators work to establish a motive and reconstruct how the shooting unfolded.
