Minneapolis police have released video that clearly shows the chaotic moments when two officers were wounded while pursuing a shooter inside a downtown apartment building. The footage, provided by the City of Minneapolis, offers a detailed view of the confrontation that unfolded earlier this month.
Sequence of events
Officers were responding to an active‑shooter situation on the ninth floor of the building. As they moved toward a victim lying in an adjacent hallway, the suspect, identified as Carlton Johnson, emerged from around a corner and drew a handgun. He fired at Officer Joseph Michnowski, who immediately turned and fled past the victim while additional gunshots rang out.
“Shooter’s on the ninth floor. I took some rounds,” Michnowski reported over his radio, his left hand visibly shaking. Fellow officers on the stairwell landing called out, “Joe, are you OK?” Shortly thereafter, Officer Yahye Mahmed Ahmed, positioned at the same landing, fired his weapon into the hallway. Yellow smoke filled the doorway, prompting the officers to retreat down the stairs. Ahmed shouted, “Oh, I got hit,” confirming he had also been wounded.
Police response and suspect background
Police engaged Johnson in a gunfight and ultimately killed him. According to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the incident began outside the building during an arranged custody handoff. Johnson shot and wounded a woman believed to be the mother of his child; the child was unharmed. He also injured two building employees before taking an elevator to the ninth floor, where he killed two residents.
Investigators have not determined whether Johnson was specifically targeting the residents he encountered or if the shootings were opportunistic. Court documents and statements from building residents indicate that the building’s owners were in the process of evicting Johnson. He had previously threatened neighbors and warned he might shoot people. At least one individual had sought a restraining order against him.
Johnson was investigated in June for displaying a weapon, but the county attorney’s office declined to file charges at that time.
Community impact
The shooting left multiple victims, including the mother of Johnson’s child, two building residents, and the two injured officers. The incident has heightened concerns among Minneapolis residents about safety in high‑rise apartments and the importance of rapid police response in active‑shooter situations.
City officials have pledged to review security protocols for multi‑unit dwellings and to work with landlords to ensure that individuals with violent histories are not placed in positions where they can threaten public safety. The release of the video aims to provide transparency and reassure the community that law‑enforcement actions are being closely scrutinized.
Looking ahead
Authorities continue to investigate the motives behind Johnson’s actions and to assess whether additional measures are needed to prevent similar tragedies. The Minneapolis Police Department is coordinating with state and federal partners to examine any gaps in threat assessment and to improve communication during emergency handoffs.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
