The final night of the Great Minnesota Get-Together took a frightening turn as a series of violent incidents unfolded just before closing, leaving three people shot outside the fairgrounds later Monday night.
The problems began after the fair gates closed to new admissions. According to Crime Watch Minneapolis, around 7:30 p.m., a large group of people formed outside the gates on Snelling Avenue and began breaching the fences. Responders struggled to maintain control, attempting to prevent more individuals from jumping fences and rushing the entrances.
St. Paul #MNStateFair:
Submitted pic: "Fight at the Fair tonight. Guy on the ground is unconscious, another is bleeding from the head."
7:30 p.m., one was arrested for disorderly.
7:30 p.m., reports of large groups roving outside the gates and fence lines.
7:40 p.m., theft… pic.twitter.com/WhTTzmZiOo
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) September 3, 2024
Chaos erupts at the fair
At 8:10 p.m., I was sitting on a bench just a few feet from Sweet Martha’s on Carnes Avenue while my husband and kids waited in a long cookie line that stretched into the street.
Suddenly, a mob of about 50 young men came running down the street, barreling through the lines of waiting people, creating a sense of panic. People around me were saying, “It’s time to go,” and “Let’s get out of here.” I managed to grab my phone and record a short video at the tail end of the mob.
My husband quickly left the line with our two children, who were visibly shaken. We hurried to exit through Gate 7 on Underwood Avenue, where we noticed several police officers standing guard and looking tense.
As we crossed Como Avenue to reach our vehicle in the parking lot, we heard multiple rounds of gunfire nearby. “Get in the car, kids!” shouted my husband, and we left in a hurry.
According to Crime Watch Minneapolis, at 8:23 p.m., responders reported hearing four to five gunshots near the intersection of Como Avenue and Winston Street, located near Gate 7.
Around the same time, a fight broke out inside the Midway, prompting law enforcement to deploy pepper balls in an effort to disperse the crowd, according to Crime Watch, who also reported several thefts and fights, including one incident caught on video that reportedly occurred Monday night.
Reportedly from the #MNStateFair on Monday night. Assault with a belt.
Tim Walz Minnesota.pic.twitter.com/vOnmsXoGGU
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) September 3, 2024
Three shooting victims
Saint Paul police said that at 10:20 p.m., officers were called to the 1000 block of Snelling Avenue North, just south of the fairgrounds, on reports of shots fired.
When officers arrived, they found a 17-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was transported to Regions Hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury.
Shortly after, two additional victims arrived at area hospitals, one with a gunshot wound to the leg and the other with a gunshot wound to the neck.
According to police, two of the victims are 17 years old, and the third is 18 years old. The 18-year-old, who suffered the neck wound, is also expected to survive.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the incidents.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
