Police are responding to shots that were fired at the George Floyd Memorial in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as mourners gathered to remember Floyd’s death one year ago today, ABC 5 Eyewitness News reported.
ABC 5 reported that police were responding to shots allegedly fired near the George Floyd Memorial. The shots caused mourners to briefly take cover, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Four Former Minneapolis Police Officers, Including Chauvin, Indicted By Justice Department In George Floyd’s Death)
Investigators learned that a vehicle was seen quickly leaving the scene after the shots were fired, City of Minneapolis spokesperson John Elder confirmed to ABC 5. Elder also reportedly said a male arrived at Abbott Northwestern Hospital shortly after the shots were fired with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, and that he was transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center for further treatment.
Video from Associated Press journalist Philip Crowther shows people running and seeking cover after the gunshots rang out.
Here’s the moment shots were fired near George Floyd Square earlier this morning. pic.twitter.com/NIWRBr6b9Y
— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) May 25, 2021
“We heard a few dozens sounds of what appear to have been shots fired on this block. Everyone sheltered in place. Lots of running. No apparent need for medics. Will update,” read a tweet in Crowther’s thread.
Quick rough footage of the moment we heard shots fired at George Floyd Square. We counted 30 upon looking back at the footage. pic.twitter.com/oxGkLQru9Q
— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) May 25, 2021
“Consensus among reporters here at George Floyd Square was that we heard anywhere between a dozen and two dozen shots fired,” Crowther also tweeted, adding that that one of the gunshots broke a window nearby. Upon reviewing the footage, Crowther and his colleagues “counted 30” gunshots fired in the captured video.
Alex Presha, a journalist with ABC News, was also reporting from the George Floyd Memorial when the shots rang out. As Presha reports on mourners observing nine minutes and 29 seconds of silence for Floyd — the amount of time former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin spent kneeling on Floyd’s neck — two gunshots ring out, causing the reporter to say “hold on,” before consecutive pops ring out and the reporter repeatedly yells for people to get “down.”
Unbelievable if real: ABC broadcast from George Floyd Square interrupted by shooting pic.twitter.com/vo6WoeB1PB
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) May 25, 2021
The clip then cuts back to the studio with a female broadcaster, who said that they would “check back in with Alex in a bit. Sounds like there may be some trouble there in Minneapolis … obviously, we hope that they are safe.”
Nikki Muehlhausen, a producer for KARE11 News also shared video of Presha’s coverage as the shots were fired on Twitter. “Hope you are safe @Alex_Presha. This is unbelievably heartbreaking,” she tweeted.
We’re OK. Definitely sad way to start a day that’s so important to so many people.???????? https://t.co/n2xMuz0ZdC
— Alex Presha (@Alex_Presha) May 25, 2021
Presha confirmed that he and his crew were safe on Twitter by quote-tweeting Muehlhausen’s post. “We’re OK. Definitely sad way to start a day that’s so important to so many people,” Presha tweeted.
This morning at #GeorgeFloyd Square our team heard what sounded like well over a dozen gun shots. We’re rushed behind a row of cars. The once active intersection full of camera crews and people now clearing out. Everyone appears to be OK. pic.twitter.com/e7ybTapTtg
— Alex Presha (@Alex_Presha) May 25, 2021
“This morning at #GeorgeFloyd Square our team heard what sounded like well over a dozen gun shots. We’re rushed behind a row of cars. The once active intersection full of camera crews and people now clearing out. Everyone appears to be OK,” another tweet from Presha read.
(This is a developing story. More information will be added as it becomes available.)