Last Wednesday's encounter with gunfire in a Fourth Precinct apartment building ended with the arrest of three men and the recovery of multiple firearms by local officers. According to a post on the Minneapolis Police Department's Facebook page, the officers arrived in response to shots being fired, and they were greeted by the aftermath of what was a recent and chaotic altercation.
The scene, as described by the Police Department, was one of smoke and disarray with bullet holes and casings scattered amidst the haze; a stray gun laid out for any taker, one might perceive a callous disregard for what these tools of destruction do to our communities, they saw two men with guns drawn, pointing at three individuals on the floor. Swift action by the police resulted in the detention of the armed men, added the officers spoke with those involved and the nearby residents, it seems two of the men had a dispute that devolved into a deadly scuffle and when a third tried to intervene both drew guns and shots were exchanged, in this chaos a bystander added his firearm to the mix, trying to impose some order on the mayhem.
Charges for assault with a dangerous weapon were pressed against two of the men caught in this mid-hallway battlefield while the third faced charges for illegal weapon possession, these were the tangible penalties for an eruption of violence in what should be the sanctity of home.
"I want to make it clear to all those who seek to use firearms to settle petty arguments and harm others: we do not stand for it, and you will be arrested," said Chief Brian O'Hara, who expressed his stance unequivocally. Calling attention to the day-to-day heroism that often goes unnoticed Chief O'Hara stated, "Every day, officers run toward danger not knowing what is around the corner. This incident demonstrates the incredible bravery of all police officers, and the incredible actions take every day to ensure the safety of the community," in a statement that honors the courage inherent in the uniform while simultaneously striking a stance of zero tolerance towards urban gunplay.
