Two seriously hurt after shooting in Robbinsdale park; suspects still at large

Friends and family members of a 19-year-old woman shot in the head Sunday night in a Robbinsdale park have gathered in a hospital lobby to pray for her recovery.

A relative identified the victim as Mari Diór in a Facebook exchange with a Minnesota Star Tribune reporter. In a social media video making the rounds on Monday afternoon, others were asking for prayer for Diór, who was taken to North Memorial Health Hospital after being shot in Sanborn Park on Sunday night.

Police confirmed that Diór suffered “grave injuries” at the time.

“We’re praying for you, Mari! Please, to everyone who knows the power of prayer — lift her up," the caption on the social media video reads. “Even if you don’t know her personally, call her name out while reading this post. Pray for Mari.”

The plea said the video was posted by family request.

Diór was one of two people shot about 9:20 p.m. as a large group of people were in the park. Police responded immediately, administered aid until paramedics arrived and took Diór to the hospital, said Robbinsdale police Capt. John Elder.

About 45 minutes later, a man in his 20s who was believed to have also been shot in Robbinsdale showed up at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park. He was taken from there to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, with serious injuries, Elder said.

As of Monday afternoon, no arrests had been made, Elder said.

Police were just a few blocks away from the park when they heard multiple gunshots and raced to the scene. About the same time, several 911 calls came in with reports of a shooting at the park in the 4200 block of Drew Avenue N.

One of those 911 calls came from Gary Meyer, who lives directly across the street from the idyllic park where people go to watch baseball games, walk their dogs and enjoy family picnics.

Meyer was out picking up trash about 8 p.m. and watched over the next hour as more and more people arrived in the parking lot that filled with about 30 to 40 vehicles. He smelled and saw marijuana and alcohol, and had a feeling something bad was going to happen, he said.

Then at 9:21 p.m. it did.

Those in the park scattered on foot “left and right,” Meyer said. Two men ran through his yard, one who may have been shot. “They did not know where to go.”

As an ambulance arrived, Meyer said he saw a victim lying in the parking lot with police performing CPR. She was taken away in an ambulance, he said.

“This should not happen anywhere,” Meyer said. “Ridiculous.”

Elder said the park is normally a peaceful place, with kids climbing on the roof of a stone building being the most serious of crimes. But on Sunday, police arrived to a “chaotic scene,” and despite a large number of people present, “people were not helpful” to investigators who were trying to learn what happened, Elder said.

Some sped off in vehicles at high speeds, he said.

Officers cordoned off parts of the park and Drew Avenue, with crime scene tape at the bottom of steps leading to Meyer’s home.

Police on Monday were still trying to figure out what led to the shooting. Pink markings on the pavement showed where investigators had spotted and picked up evidence.

As the sun came up Monday, Meyer and his wife, Heather Ring, were still trying to process what happened right across the street.