Over the weekend, two separate shootings occurred at homeless encampments in Minneapolis, resulting in the deaths of three people and injuries to three others. The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating whether the two shootings are related. One of the shootings occurred on Saturday, where one man was killed and two others were injured. The second shooting occurred on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of two men and critical injuries to a woman. No arrests have been made yet in connection to the shootings, and police are looking into the possibility of suspects who fled the scene on foot.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey attributed the recent surge in violence near homeless encampments to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for a significant portion of drug overdose deaths. He called the shootings “incredibly tragic and sad” and emphasized the need for residents of the encampments to accept available resources to address the issues of violence, narcotics, and mental health.
The victims of the shootings were identified as Deven Leonard Caston, Louis Lemons Jr., and Christopher Washington, who died from multiple gunshot wounds. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara condemned the shootings as “outrageous” and emphasized the need for safer conditions at encampments. He urged residents to take advantage of available resources to help end the cycle of violence exacerbated by narcotics and mental health issues.
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