Gunshots rang out between two homes on the 7900 block of Lee Avenue North in Brooklyn Park around 8 p.m. Saturday, sending officers scrambling to a block that has seen more than its share of gun violence over the past two years. By the time the scene was secured, three people were arrested on felony offenses and detectives had evidence that shots had been fired from both properties.
Brooklyn Park police were called to the block after reports of gunshots, according to MN Crime. Officers determined that gunfire had been exchanged between the two homes, and several people connected to both properties were detained as detectives worked the scene, per the outlet's report.
Because of the number of people on scene and what police described as a lack of cooperation, officers from surrounding agencies were called in to help contain the area while detectives obtained and served search warrants, the report notes. Officers ultimately secured both homes, and three people were arrested on felony offenses, the article states. The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not released further details about the identities of those arrested, what specifically was seized under the search warrants, or whether the two homes had any prior dispute with each other.
A Block With a Troubled Recent History
The block has also drawn police attention in separate incidents.
The block's history runs darker still. In October 2024, officers responding to a reported shooting in the 7900 block found a man dead from a gunshot wound to the head and arrested two suspects on probable cause of homicide, FOX 9 reported at the time. Then in January 2025, Hennepin County prosecutors charged a 20-year-old Brooklyn Park man with second-degree manslaughter after he accidentally shot and killed a 19-year-old friend at an apartment in that same block while the two were handling handguns, according to CBS News.
Felony Exposure Under Minnesota Law
Minnesota Statutes section 609.66 makes reckless firearm discharge within a municipality a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine, while intentional firearm discharge requires circumstances endangering another person's safety, according to Gallagher Criminal Defense. If any of those detained or arrested are found to be legally ineligible to possess a firearm because of a prior felony conviction, they could face a separate charge carrying up to 15 years in prison and fines as high as $30,000, per Arneson & Geffen PLLC.
Citywide Crime Down, But Hotspots Persist
The Lee Avenue North incidents stand in contrast to Brooklyn Park's broader crime trends. City police reported in June that citywide crime dropped to a 37-year low in 2025, with 5,427 total criminal cases, according to CCX Media. The city also tracks reported shots-fired incidents through a public dashboard. A statewide Uniform Crime Report issued by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety this month similarly found that violent crime across the seven-county Twin Cities metro area fell 14 percent compared to 2024, though firearms remained involved in 70.5 percent of statewide homicides.
Researchers say crime can cluster heavily in smaller suburban communities such as Brooklyn Park. Residents can track reported gunfire incidents citywide through the city's Police Open Data portal, which features a public Shots Fired dashboard and community crime map.
Saturday's response also required extra manpower at a high-pressure scene.
No further details on the three people arrested Saturday, the specific charges filed, or any connection between the two homes and the block's prior incidents have been released. The investigation remains ongoing.
