A deadly shooting inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building left three people dead, including the suspected gunman, and several others injured Wednesday afternoon, prompting a massive emergency response and an ongoing investigation into what led to the violence.
The shooting unfolded at Loring Towers, a high-rise apartment building at 15 East Grant Street in downtown Minneapolis, near the Minneapolis Convention Center. Police received the first 911 call reporting gunfire shortly after 4:30 p.m. on September 2.
Officers arrived within minutes and entered the building, where they discovered multiple victims. As police moved through the high-rise, they heard additional gunfire coming from an upper floor.
Three people ultimately died in the incident: two civilians and the suspected shooter. One civilian was pronounced dead at the scene, while another died after being transported to a hospital.
Police officers followed the sound of gunfire to an upper level of the building, where authorities said they encountered a haze that significantly reduced visibility. Officers then exchanged gunfire with the suspected shooter.
Three Minneapolis police officers were injured during the response. Two suffered gunshot wounds — one officer was wounded in the leg, while another was shot in the abdomen and required surgery. A third officer was treated for a separate, non-life-threatening injury.
Authorities said the injured officers are expected to make full recoveries.
Several civilians were also wounded and transported for medical treatment. Additional officers experienced adverse effects after exposure to an unidentified airborne substance or haze inside the building. Two other officers were injured when a police vehicle crashed while responding to the emergency.
The suspected gunman has been identified in local reporting as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson II, a resident of the apartment building. Authorities said police were familiar with the suspect before the shooting.
Court records reported by local media indicate Johnson had been facing eviction proceedings following allegations involving threatening behavior and a firearm. Johnson had denied allegations contained in those proceedings, and a court hearing had been scheduled for September 11.
Investigators have not announced a confirmed motive for the shooting.
The circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death also remain under investigation. Early reports have differed on precisely how he died, and authorities have continued processing evidence from the building.
The shooting triggered a large-scale law enforcement response involving Minneapolis police and multiple neighboring agencies, along with state and federal authorities. Investigators remained at the scene Thursday as they worked to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Residents described a chaotic scene as gunfire echoed through the building and people attempted to reach safety. Police moved rapidly through the apartment complex while emergency personnel treated victims and secured the surrounding area.
Minneapolis officials praised responding officers for entering the building while gunfire was still occurring and helping evacuate and rescue residents.
The immediate threat to the public has ended, but the investigation remains active.
Authorities are continuing to examine evidence, interview witnesses and determine what happened in the moments before the first shots were fired. Investigators are also expected to examine the suspect’s history, the reported concerns involving firearms and whether previous incidents at the apartment complex provide additional insight into the attack.
The downtown Minneapolis shooting has once again placed attention on public safety, firearm violence and the risks faced by residents and first responders during active-shooter emergencies.
As of September 3, 2026, officials continue to investigate the motive and full circumstances of the attack while the Minneapolis community mourns the victims and injured officers continue their recovery.
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