Police: Minn. office shooter among 'several' dead
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The shooter who opened fire inside a Minneapolis sign company was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday and was among "several" people killed in the incident, the city's deputy police chief said.
Police had previously said at least two people were killed and four were wounded during the afternoon shootings at Accent Signage Systems, which is in a largely residential area on the city's north side.
"We do have several victims inside that are dead," Minneapolis Police Deputy Chief Kris Arneson said during an evening news conference two blocks from the company. But when pressed to say how many, Arneson refused and said police were still investigating.
She also wouldn't release details about the victims, but said the shooter's body was found inside the building.
Hennepin County Medical Center was treating three people from the scene, all in critical condition, spokeswoman Christine Hill said. She said the hospital wasn't expecting more patients with critical injuries.
Officers received a 911 call around 4:30 p.m. from inside the business from someone reporting that there was a shooting.
Dozens of squad cars and police vehicles were still surrounding the business in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood by Thursday evening. Traffic was stopped on a nearby bridge along Penn Avenue, where earlier in the day law enforcement officers had rifles drawn and pointed at a park below.
People from the neighborhood milled around but deputies kept them back.
Marques Jones, 18, of Minneapolis, said he was outside a building down the street having his picture taken when he and his photographer heard gunfire that sounded close.
"We heard about four to five gunshots," Jones said. "We were shocked at what happened and we just looked at each other. We all just took off running to our vehicles."
Accent Signage Systems' website says the company makes interior signage and listed its founder as Reuven Rahamim. A phone message left at the business and at a residential listing for Rahamim was not immediately returned.
"Very sad situation in Bryn Mawr," Mayor R.T. Rybak tweeted Thursday afternoon. "Please stay away and let the police do their work."
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Associated Press writers Doug Glass and Jeff Baenen contributed to this report from Minneapolis.
Police had previously said at least two people were killed and four were wounded during the afternoon shootings at Accent Signage Systems, which is in a largely residential area on the city's north side.
"We do have several victims inside that are dead," Minneapolis Police Deputy Chief Kris Arneson said during an evening news conference two blocks from the company. But when pressed to say how many, Arneson refused and said police were still investigating.
She also wouldn't release details about the victims, but said the shooter's body was found inside the building.
Hennepin County Medical Center was treating three people from the scene, all in critical condition, spokeswoman Christine Hill said. She said the hospital wasn't expecting more patients with critical injuries.
Officers received a 911 call around 4:30 p.m. from inside the business from someone reporting that there was a shooting.
Dozens of squad cars and police vehicles were still surrounding the business in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood by Thursday evening. Traffic was stopped on a nearby bridge along Penn Avenue, where earlier in the day law enforcement officers had rifles drawn and pointed at a park below.
People from the neighborhood milled around but deputies kept them back.
Marques Jones, 18, of Minneapolis, said he was outside a building down the street having his picture taken when he and his photographer heard gunfire that sounded close.
"We heard about four to five gunshots," Jones said. "We were shocked at what happened and we just looked at each other. We all just took off running to our vehicles."
Accent Signage Systems' website says the company makes interior signage and listed its founder as Reuven Rahamim. A phone message left at the business and at a residential listing for Rahamim was not immediately returned.
"Very sad situation in Bryn Mawr," Mayor R.T. Rybak tweeted Thursday afternoon. "Please stay away and let the police do their work."
___
Associated Press writers Doug Glass and Jeff Baenen contributed to this report from Minneapolis.
What's really sad is, the article has been up an hour an no one has anything left to say. These things keep happening, and it would seem they are starting to feel "common". How utterly depressing.
@WhatRJDid Actually, given the fact that we are now 30,000,000 in the US and EVERY incident is immediately shared via the various forms of media it only appears that events like this are common. People need to accept the fact that there have been and always will be a very small number of people that will take advantage of, or act violent towards, others. Awareness and self defense. Awreness and self defense do not equate to paranoia. I choose to not be a victim.
 @Chris Yeriab  @WhatRJDid Chris there are approximately 312,000,000 people in the US now.
 @left-center  @Chris Yeriab  @WhatRJDid Yeah it seems like this is happenening more often. But when people hit their wall some of them snap.Â
 @Chris Yeriab  @WhatRJDid Approximately 30,000 gun deaths are committed each year (nearly half by people that should have a firearm, mostly convicted felons). But that is really not important for this discussion, what is important is that some people are taking their anger out in the most extreme way and though it may seem like a small percentage of the population it still gives rise to the notion Americans are loosing a certain sense of security.
@left-center @WhatRJDid OK. Even if I consider only 12,000,000 people - 50 similar reports is only 0.00042 %.
 @WhatRJDid Half of us are just numb, the other half just doesn't care. Having witnessed so much carnage this year and not one person has been willing to talk seriously about how to address these shootings or how to bring them to an end.
 @WhatRJDid Well, we have a population of people who believe we should never help anyone and a population of people who are mentally ill and can't get help due to the constant slashing of social service budgets. We have easily accessible weapons and all living generations have a sense of entitlement.  Combine that with national news and then you have people who are mentally ill and want attention killing people to get on TV.Â
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Also, don't forget the recession so someone who has put in 400 applications for jobs and just can't even get a call back can pawn their last possessions and get a gun. Â OR they already owned a gun with permits and they are drowning in debt or going info foreclosure or just lost their only car/ method of transportation.Â
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There's so many things that can make people lose it right now. Â There's not much to say about yet another incident.