Three people were shot in the Dinkytown area of Minneapolis overnight, leaving one dead and one in critical condition following bursts of automatic gunfire amid Halloween revelers. One of the injured parties is a U of M student.
The gunfire broke out adjacent to the University of Minneapolis campus about 2:38 a.m., according to initial civilian reports, and later confirmed in a media briefing by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, who stated that an officer on patrol radioed that he heard two bursts of fully automatic gunfire.
Chief O’Hara said in his briefing that police initially found two people shot near 13th Avenue SE and 5th Street SE, one of whom died at the scene. A third injured party was later found in the alley behind Frank & Andrea pizzeria.
According to available first responder radio traffic at the time, the shooter was described as a Somali male in black flip-flops, 18-25, wearing a black sweatshirt with white stripes and dark gray sweats. He reportedly was observed running into The Marahall apartments parking garage. Later dispatches indicated that another black male in a puffy jacket was observed on surveillance video returning gunfire at the initial shooter.
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A witness says 50 squads are on site at the triple SHOOTING in Dinkytown.
UMN MinneapolisThere was a second volley of gunfire.
Shooter is a Somali male in black flip flops, 18-25, black sweatshirt with white stripes, dark gray sweats. Ran into the Marahall garage.
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) November 1, 2025
At the time of Chief O’Hara’a media briefing, the deceased party had not been identified but was not believed to be a U of M student. One of the other injured parties was identified as a student, and the other was described as a juvenile by O’Hara. Both of the injured parties are expected to survive. All injured parties were male.
The chief said three firearms were recovered at the scene, including one from the body of the deceased party. Police are still working to determine who was in possession of the other weapons and what led to the violent interaction.
O’Hara described the scene in Dinkytown as “chaotic and dangerous,” with thousands of people in the area celebrating Halloween activities. He said that the afternoon MPD mid-watch shift had been held over into the night and that several other officers from MPD and U of M PD were working in anticipation of heightened activity for the Halloween crowds.
The chief indicated that the chaos was a continuation of prior troubles linked to juveniles in the Dinkytown area. The City of Minneapolis has authorized various taxpayer funded contracts in the last few years for “culturally” specific “violence interrupters” who reportedly maintain a presence in areas like Dinkytown and the Stone Arch Bridge, which have been hotspots for youth violence. Little to no information has been made available by the city indicating any measures of success or any reduction in violence connected to the money spent on the culturally specific violence prevention funding.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
