Police Respond To Commotion On Nicollet Mall

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A busy St. Patrick's celebration was complicated Tuesday night by large groups of teenagers causing trouble.

In a possibly separate incident downtown, Minneapolis police responded to a non-life threatening gunshot wound and began searching for a suspect.

Police arrested multiple teens along Nicollet Mall and worked for more than two hours to disperse crowds.

"It appears their intent was to cause chaos and disorder," Minneapolis Police Inspector Mike Kjos said.

Teenagers were seen brawling between 4th Street and 6th Street.

Police used mace on some groups to get them to disperse.

Eventually, police made lines on 4th Street and 11th Street to try to calm down crowds.

There were no major disruptions to the light-rail, but some buses were rerouted temporarily during the disturbances.

Elder said the disturbances were unrelated to the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Police are gathering reports, interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance video.