A security camera captured the moment a criminal opened fire with a fully automatic weapon, spraying bullets in a Minneapolis neighborhood.
Fully automatic weapons, also known as machine guns, have been functionally illegal in the U.S. for 35 years. Over the last 86 years, they have only been used in a handful of criminal shooting incidents which resulted in death. However, Minneapolis has recently witnessed an significant uptick in gun crime involving these uncommon weapons.
At least two people were hospitalized after machine gun fire erupted in the Folwell neighborhood of north Minneapolis Monday afternoon, according to Crime Watch Minneapolis. Both a security camera and ShotSpotter devices captured the sound of fully automatic gunfire.
The chaotic video opens with a man fleeing, moments before gunfire erupts. Two cars are also seen driving in reverse to escape the violence. The sounds of at least two different guns can be heard.
The neighborhood where this shooting took place is among the most dangerous in the city. Violet crime in this area is 653% more common than the national average, according to the most recently available data — which was reported before the current crime wave began.
Events like this are unfortunately common across the city, too. Between the outset of this year and late September, ShotSpotter devices recorded 5,303 shootings that have resulted in well over 20,000 rounds fired. This marks a significant increase in violence as compared to the years before the George Floyd riots. In 2019 there were only about 1,500 ShotSpotter activations from January to September.
This violence has propelled Minneapolis through the crime rankings. It now sits on par with Chicago in terms of violent crime and is 247% more violent than the rest of the Midwest. The city has endured 76 homicides so far this year. It’s sister city, St. Paul, has had 32.
Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
