Two men were shot and wounded in downtown Minneapolis around bar-closing time early Saturday, and police later arrested a juvenile boy thought to be connected to the gunfire.

Around 1:20 a.m., an off-duty officer reported hearing gunfire in the area of Hennepin Avenue and 7th Street. Officers found a man there suffering from a gunshot wound. Around the same time, another gunshot victim was found on the 500 block of N. 1st Street.

Both men were taken to HCMC with noncritical injuries, said police spokesman John Elder.

Kevin Bertels, a Star Tribune sports editor, was driving home from work when he came across the scene outside Target Center, where young men appeared to be yelling at one another. Bertels heard a flurry of seven to eight shots before seeing a man crumple to the ground across from the First Avenue nightclub.

Then two groups fled in opposite directions.

Twins fans still milling about after a late home game also stopped to watch the chaotic scene.

Witness statements helped identify a party bus as the suspect vehicle. Police found the bus near Lee's Liquor Lounge at Glenwood Avenue and N. 12th Street, where a vehicle search yielded several guns. Passengers were interviewed, Elder said, but no one was arrested.

Later in the morning, a juvenile boy was arrested in connection with the shooting.

Given a relatively incident-free July 4th and an overall reduction in violent crime downtown, Saturday's gunfire was "somewhat of an anomaly," Elder said.

"We'll be back out there [today] doing everything we can to ensure public safety," he said.

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648