Nine people were shot early Sunday outside the Reign Event Center in Uptown Minneapolis, turning a late-night gathering into a major crime scene and leaving two men with life-threatening injuries. Minneapolis police said the gunfire erupted just before 12:30 a.m. as a large group stood outside the venue at the corner of 29th Street and Hennepin Avenue. Victims ranged in age from 18 to 27, with most in their early 20s.
According to KSTP, officers found four victims at the scene, while five others later showed up at hospitals around Minneapolis. A 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old man were treated for life-threatening gunshot wounds, and authorities said the remaining seven victims are expected to survive. As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been announced, and investigators were still working to determine whether the shooting was a drive-by.
Where It Happened
The Reign Event Center is listed at 2901 Hennepin Avenue, according to a City of Minneapolis document. The surrounding stretch of Hennepin in Uptown has already been under the microscope, with recent coverage zeroing in on neighborhood change and public safety concerns. The Star Tribune has reported on how the area is wrestling with its identity, even as new projects rise and long-time businesses shut their doors.
Victims And Investigation
Minneapolis police said the shooting victims included seven men and two women, ages 18 to 27, with most in their early 20s, KSTP reported. Officers initially found four people wounded outside the venue, and later learned that five more had arrived at hospitals around the city.
Detectives are now trying to sort out what sparked the violence and whether some or all of the shots came from a moving vehicle. Police have not said how many shooters may have been involved, and they have not announced any suspects or arrests.
Uptown Context And Reaction
Sunday's shooting lands in the middle of an ongoing and very public debate over what Uptown is becoming. Nightlife, new development and recurring police responses have all put the neighborhood under a bright spotlight. Reporting this spring in the Star Tribune highlighted how construction projects, business closures and persistent safety worries are fueling a larger conversation about Uptown's future.
Community leaders and business owners have been weighing how to keep Uptown vibrant without letting it feel unsafe, even before the latest round of gunfire outside Reign. Minneapolis police are leading the investigation into the shooting, and officials had not announced any arrests as of Sunday morning.
We will update this story as authorities release more information.
