MINNEAPOLIS — A man was fatally shot by police early Thursday following an overnight standoff at an apartment building in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis police spokesman Officer Garrett Parten said the fatal shots were fired around 4:30 a.m. following six hours of negotiating with the man, who had barricaded himself inside an apartment on the 900 block of 21st Avenue and East Franklin in the Seward neighborhood.
"I want to be very clear, this is not the outcome we hoped for or desired," Parten said.
The situation began around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, when officers were dispatched to the apartment complex on reports of shots fired inside a building. A mother with two young children called 911 and told dispatchers someone was firing shots through their apartment.
Parten said when officers arrived on scene more shots were heard, and they saw debris exploding from walls of the building. Police moved quickly to evacuate the mother and her two children, and all residents who were in immediate danger.
After the gunman, who police believe was in his 20s, barricaded himself in an apartment, MPD SWAT personnel were called in. Crisis negotiators attempted to talk the man out by using a bullhorn and phone calls. The man's parents were also brought to the scene in an attempt to safely end the situation.
Parten said after six hours of extensive negotiations, an officer shot the suspect. The man was rushed to Hennepin Health Care, but lifesaving attempts were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead. City officials identified the man as Andrew Tekle Sundberg of Minneapolis.
Agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) have been called in to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident. On Thursday afternoon, the BCA released a statement saying "two Minneapolis Police Officers discharged their rifles," and that a firearm was recovered at the scene. City officials later identified the officers who fired their weapons as Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphine.
Thursday afternoon, KARE 11 reporter Jennifer Hoff spoke with a resident who was evacuated from the apartment building during the standoff. He asked not to be identified, but said around 9:45 p.m. police came to his door and ordered him to evacuate and take cover outside. The resident said police had him hide behind cars before taking cover in a nearby apartment lobby.
"You never think this would happen in your building much less neighborhood," he said.
In a written statement released Thursday morning, Minneapolis police said the department wants to answer the community's questions as quickly as possible "after a thorough and full" investigation. "We are asking for patience to allow for that full investigation to take place," the agency said.
This is a developing story. KARE 11 will provide more details as new information becomes available.
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