The deadly shooting in downtown Minneapolis that left three people dead and six wounded Wednesday began as a custody exchange, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) says. Investigators currently believe the shooter, Carlton Johnson II, 35, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police at Shoreline Plaza, formerly known as Loring Towers. Here’s what we know so far about the deadly incident. Download the KSTP app below for additional updates as we confirm more details. Timeline The BCA says Johnson was outside Shoreline Plaza, located just off Nicollet Avenue and East Grant Street, for a custody exchange with his son and the boy’s mother around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. During that exchange, Johnson apparently shot the child’s mother, then entered the apartment building and shot two employees: a woman, who was seriously injured, and a man, who suffered less serious injuries, according to the BCA. The boy escaped to safety. From there, the BCA says Johnson went up to the ninth floor of the building, where he rented an apartment and lived alone. On that floor, he shot two residents. Superintendent Evans urged the community to address what he sees as a growing problem causing too much devastation. “The role that domestic violence continues to play in mass casualty incidents and other situations where people are shot and killed remains an issue that we must continue to confront and resolve as a society,” Evans said. “We have several people shot here in a situation where domestic violence led to this point.” RELATED: Suspect in deadly downtown Minneapolis shooting evicted for threatening other residents with a gun. Investigators are still working to determine why Johnson shot who he shot and whether the victims were targeted. However, 5 INVESTIGATORS learned that Johnson was contesting an eviction order from Loring Towers. MPD Response Videos from the area show Minneapolis police responding in full force, with SWAT and several patrol officers responding within minutes of the first reports of a shooting. Agents from many other agencies and cities also responded. Acting Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson said police records show at least 157 officers were assigned to the shooting. The first officers entered the apartment building around 4:39 p.m., according to the Minneapolis Police Department, and saw several victims on the ground, in addition to hearing gunshots from the upper levels of the building. He said police had a police squad en route to Shoreline Plaza 44 seconds after the first 911 call, and officers entered the building 1 minute and 42 seconds after that first call. As officers followed the sound of gunfire to the upper floors, visibility from the fog became limited and two officers were shot and another wounded. The BCA says it is still investigating what caused that haze, although it may have been damage to something. Frey later suggested it might have been from a fire extinguisher exploding. Identification of victims The BCA says the two residents Johnson shot on the ninth floor of the apartment building were Dale Henry Spry, 63, and Muse Abdi Afrah, 61. Both men died, the BCA says, one in a hospital and the other at the scene. The mother of Johnson’s son and the two injured building employees were not identified and are recovering from their injuries. No specific details regarding his conditions have been shared at this time. RELATED: BCA identifies civilians killed, officers involved in Minneapolis shooting at Shoreline Plaza The two MPD officers injured by gunfire were identified as Joseph Michnowski, a five-year MPD veteran, and Yahye Ahmed, a nearly two-year MPD veteran. A third officer was injured unrelated to the shooting and has not been identified at this time. Ahmed was released from the hospital on Thursday, Frey says. Peterson said the third officer was released Wednesday night after being treated for a glass cut related to a broken squad window. Michnowski remained hospitalized Thursday afternoon. The BCA says Liban Mohamed Ibrahim, who has been a Minneapolis police officer for two years, discharged his firearm during the incident, as did Ahmed. Investigators are still determining whether other officers fired their weapons. Ibrahim appears to be one of the MPD officers who shared their accounts of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting ahead of the one-year anniversary last month. Additional Notes The BCA says surveillance cameras at Shoreline Plaza captured the entire incident. Investigators are currently reviewing that video. Carlton used a handgun during the shooting, although investigators have not yet confirmed whether it was modified in any way. Police and the BCA say Carlton had a valid permit to carry a weapon. Hennepin County Prosecutor Mary Moriarty confirmed that police responded to a previous call involving Johnson on June 25 and that prosecutors flagged him for a possible extreme risk protective order that would have forced him to hand over his weapons. In the end, prosecutors found insufficient evidence for that or any charge related to the June 25 incident. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, there are several resources available to offer help. For immediate help, contact: More than 12 million people in the U.S. alone are affected by domestic violence each year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The organizations mentioned above can help connect victims to resources such as safe shelter, advocacy, legal help, and support groups. The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to view them. Other organizations that can help include: Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for crime victims which can be found HERE. For related stories: Minneapolis Minneapolis Police Department Minneapolis Shooting Shooting
