MINNEAPOLIS, MN - A mass shooting has left three people dead, including a police officer who was ambushed, a civilian, and the gunman himself.
According to Fox 9, Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, 36, was fatally shot when he stopped to provide aid to a man he thought was a victim of the report of a shooting he had responded to, but instead the man shot him. Mitchell was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died as a result of his gunshot wounds.
A second responding officer exchanged gunfire with the armed suspect; the suspect died at the scene and the officer was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries he sustained from being shot. He has since been released and is expected to be OK.
In a statement, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said, "Investigators are working hard to determine the exact circumstances of how he was killed. We know he answered the call of a double shooting in the Whittier neighborhood. While rendering aid to an injured male, the injured male pulled a gun and assassinated Officer Mitchell and continued to shoot him after he fell to the ground. Arriving officers transported Officer Mitchell to Hennepin Healthcare where he later died."
During this incident, a person in an apartment building was also killed and three others were injured, including a Minneapolis firefighter. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is leading this investigation, which they are labeling as complex due to it technically being two separate crime scenes.
Officer Mitchell has been with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) since 2022 and was sworn in by Chief O'Hara, who remembered the young officer fondly, saying, "I knew Jamal. I had the distinct honor of swearing in Jamal as a Minneapolis police officer. Shortly after hitting the street, I commended and honored him for running into a burning house in the 5th Precinct to rescue an elderly couple. He loved the job. He loved the MPD and he was faithful to the oath he swore unto his death."
Mitchell was just 36-years-old. He was engaged to be married and leaves behind a son. O'Hara said, "Jamal died a hero and like police officers in Minneapolis standing behind me here and everywhere, he was one of the few who have the courage to stand up and answer the call every single day. He died doing what we asked him to do for the rest of us. Jamal died doing what society asks all police officers to do. He did his job and he was loyal to his oath until his death. There is no more honorable service one can provide."
According to CBS News, others shared their grief on Jamal's untimely death. Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote on X, "John and I are praying for both their families and all those impacted by this tragedy." Rep. Paul Novotny, a former police officer, applauded the bravery of the officers responding to the shooting.
He wrote, "This is the day every officer and every officer's family dreads. Every day, our officers put on the uniform not knowing what they'll face. The two officers shot today ran toward an active shooter, knowing it may cost them their lives. The loss of a member of the law enforcement family today is heartbreaking."
The shooting left six people shot, including the two officers and four civilians. One civilian is in "grave" condition after being shot and an innocent bystander who was also shot, remains in critical condition. Authorities said that the gunman and the people inside the apartment are believed to know each other. As of this writing, officials have not yet identified the gunman, but believe they know who he is.
Officer Mitchell's death marks the first line-of-duty death for MPD since 2002 when Officer Melissa Schmidt was killed. Officer Schmidt was in the same location when she was fatally shot after responding to a report of a woman with a gun at a public housing complex.
According to Fox 9, Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, 36, was fatally shot when he stopped to provide aid to a man he thought was a victim of the report of a shooting he had responded to, but instead the man shot him. Mitchell was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died as a result of his gunshot wounds.
A second responding officer exchanged gunfire with the armed suspect; the suspect died at the scene and the officer was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries he sustained from being shot. He has since been released and is expected to be OK.
In a statement, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said, "Investigators are working hard to determine the exact circumstances of how he was killed. We know he answered the call of a double shooting in the Whittier neighborhood. While rendering aid to an injured male, the injured male pulled a gun and assassinated Officer Mitchell and continued to shoot him after he fell to the ground. Arriving officers transported Officer Mitchell to Hennepin Healthcare where he later died."
During this incident, a person in an apartment building was also killed and three others were injured, including a Minneapolis firefighter. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is leading this investigation, which they are labeling as complex due to it technically being two separate crime scenes.
Officer Mitchell has been with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) since 2022 and was sworn in by Chief O'Hara, who remembered the young officer fondly, saying, "I knew Jamal. I had the distinct honor of swearing in Jamal as a Minneapolis police officer. Shortly after hitting the street, I commended and honored him for running into a burning house in the 5th Precinct to rescue an elderly couple. He loved the job. He loved the MPD and he was faithful to the oath he swore unto his death."
Mitchell was just 36-years-old. He was engaged to be married and leaves behind a son. O'Hara said, "Jamal died a hero and like police officers in Minneapolis standing behind me here and everywhere, he was one of the few who have the courage to stand up and answer the call every single day. He died doing what we asked him to do for the rest of us. Jamal died doing what society asks all police officers to do. He did his job and he was loyal to his oath until his death. There is no more honorable service one can provide."
According to CBS News, others shared their grief on Jamal's untimely death. Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote on X, "John and I are praying for both their families and all those impacted by this tragedy." Rep. Paul Novotny, a former police officer, applauded the bravery of the officers responding to the shooting.
He wrote, "This is the day every officer and every officer's family dreads. Every day, our officers put on the uniform not knowing what they'll face. The two officers shot today ran toward an active shooter, knowing it may cost them their lives. The loss of a member of the law enforcement family today is heartbreaking."
The shooting left six people shot, including the two officers and four civilians. One civilian is in "grave" condition after being shot and an innocent bystander who was also shot, remains in critical condition. Authorities said that the gunman and the people inside the apartment are believed to know each other. As of this writing, officials have not yet identified the gunman, but believe they know who he is.
Officer Mitchell's death marks the first line-of-duty death for MPD since 2002 when Officer Melissa Schmidt was killed. Officer Schmidt was in the same location when she was fatally shot after responding to a report of a woman with a gun at a public housing complex.
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