MINNEAPOLIS — A man was killed Wednesday morning after confronting a suspect who was allegedly trying to steal from a vehicle outside a Minneapolis business, authorities said.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers from the Third Precinct responded to a report of a man down around 6:55 a.m. in the parking lot behind a business on the 2600 block of 32nd Avenue South. They found a man in his 40s suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Despite officers’ immediate efforts to provide medical aid, the man died at the scene.
Preliminary information indicates the victim had stepped outside his workplace shortly before 6:30 a.m. and encountered someone attempting to steal from an unoccupied vehicle. A brief struggle ensued, during which the suspect shot the man before fleeing.
Roughly 20 minutes later, a co-worker discovered the victim in the parking lot and called 911.
“This tragic killing occurred outside the victim’s workplace where he should have felt safe,” Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement. “This death occurred during what appeared to be a theft from a vehicle, which is an incredibly petty and minor offense for someone to lose their life over. Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones and his coworkers at this difficult time.”
O’Hara urged residents to contact police rather than intervene when witnessing crimes, emphasizing that “no amount of property is worth a life.”
Forensic investigators processed the scene and collected evidence. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the victim’s identity, along with the official cause and manner of death, at a later time.
Anyone with information about the case (number 25-314623) is asked to contact the Minneapolis Police Department by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to CrimeStoppersMN.org or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Information leading to an arrest and conviction may qualify for a financial reward.
