Man Hospitalized, Arrested After Exchanging Gunfire With Officers In North Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis police say a man is in custody with non-life threatening wounds after exchanging gunfire with officers Thursday morning on the city's north side.

The Minneapolis Police Department says that someone called 911 at 8:22 a.m. saying a man pointed a gun at them near the intersection of Logan and Lowry avenues, on the border of the Folwell and Jordan neighborhoods.

Officers quickly located the suspect and attempted a traffic stop. A slow-speed pursuit ensured before the vehicle crashed into a snowbank a few minutes later at the intersection of Lowry and Vincent avenues. There, the man exchanged gunfire with police.

"At one point it slowed down and officers transitioned to non-lethal weapons. A few minutes later the man was taken into custody. He does have what appears to be non life-threatening injuries," said John Elder, Minneapolis Police.

Elder later released a statement where he specified the weapon fired "40 millimeter Less lethal impact rounds," which WCCO is told is essentially like shooting a bean bag.

No officers were injured in the exchange.

Investigators said they found a number of weapons inside the vehicle the suspect was driving.

Phillipe Cunningham, the city councilmember who represents Ward 4, released a statement following the shooting. He noted that while information is still coming in, it appears that the police action in this case was a needed response to violent behavior.

"As was demonstrated in this case, shots fired by police officers should be the absolute last resort," Cunningham said. "We also cannot tolerate someone wantonly shooting guns in our neighborhoods, let alone at City employees. This enforcement action in response to the dangerous, violent behaviors on Logan and Lowry has been much needed."

Cunningham went on to thank police for prioritizing the 911 call.

"We've got to find a way as a community to come together and stop this gun violence before it's already too late," said Donna Anderson.

Anderson is with "A Mother's Love," a group that works to manage crisis and restore order. Going back to last summer, they've been concerned with an uptick in gun violence in this part of the city.

"Folks know what's going on. Folks know who is doing this. We need to stop this right now," said Anderson. "It's going to take the community, police department, city council, it will take everybody coming together and saying enough is enough."

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has now taken over as lead investigators in the shooting case.