Four people shot in north Minneapolis, continuing gun violence surge

A series of shootings on Tuesday raised to 74 the number of people struck by gunfire on Minneapolis' North Side this year, one day after police Chief Janeé Harteau announced the addition of more officers in north Minneapolis to fight gun violence.

In the most recent episode, around 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, two people were shot behind an apartment complex in the 1600 block of Plymouth Avenue N. The complex, a few blocks east of Fourth Precinct headquarters, was the site of the fatal police shooting of Jamar Clark last fall that sparked protests.

One victim was taken by ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center, according to a police incident report. A second person, also wounded, was dropped off there a short time later.

Neither could give police a description of the alleged shooter, but a 44-year-old north Minneapolis man was later arrested in connection with the incident and on a warrant. He hasn't been charged.

The shootings come amid a spike in gun violence in the city this year. Through April 25, at least 96 people had been shot citywide, a 77 percent increase over the same period last year, according to department figures. Shootings in north Minneapolis, where the number of people struck more than doubled from the same period last year, accounted for much of the increase.

In a video posted Monday to the department's Facebook page, Harteau said she has assigned 20 to 30 more officers to north Minneapolis "until further notice."

She said the additional manpower is already having an effect, with the number of ShotSpotter activations and shots-fired calls down significantly in the week since the extra patrols started.

Earlier Tuesday, a 37-year-old man was shot about 3:15 p.m. during a carjacking near the intersection of 15th and Girard avenues N. The man was sitting in his vehicle when he was confronted by two suspects, one of whom shot him in the leg, police said. The suspects reportedly fled in the vehicle before police arrived.