Brooklyn Center police shoot, kill man believed to be connected to Minneapolis double homicide

Brooklyn Center Police shot and killed a man on Monday afternoon who was believed to be connected to a double homicide earlier in the day in Minneapolis.

In a news release posted on social media, Brooklyn Center Police said officers initially responded to reports of a man waving a gun outside a business near Xerxes Avenue North and 56th Avenue North. Police said officers exchanged gunfire with the man, who was struck by gunfire. BCPD said officers attempted to provide first aid, but the man was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

No officers were injured.

Brooklyn Park Police and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said preliminary information indicates the incident is connected to a shooting where an adult male and a teen were shot and killed inside a home in north Minneapolis earlier on Monday afternoon.

Brooklyn Center Police said officers were wearing body-worn cameras. The officers have been placed on “critical incident leave.” The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been called in to investigate.

Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves called for the community to be patient as the facts of the case emerge.

“Today’s officer-involved shooting in our community is deeply concerning to me. I know incidents like this can bring fear, pain, and uncertainty, especially for those who carry past trauma connected to violence or law enforcement,” Graves said in a post on Facebook. “I can confirm the BCA is on the scene. I have asked that BCPD release a statement as soon as possible. As the investigation unfolds, I ask for your patience. It is important that the process be thorough, independent, and guided by facts. As your Mayor, I am committed to ensuring transparency and will share verified information as it becomes available to me.”

Civil rights activist and attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong posted a livestream from the scene shortly after the shooting, saying she witnessed numerous gunshots fired in the area but could not confirm the exact circumstances.

Brooklyn Center Police officers were previously involved in a fatal shooting that killed Daunte Wright in 2021. Wright’s mother, Katie, was among the onlookers who came to Monday’s shooting scene, saying she wanted to be sure to get “the true story of what really happened out here.”