2 killed, 3 injured in second Minnesota shooting targeting funeral: US

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Feb 2023 09:12

The overflow of weapons in the United States and soaring shootings caused several killings only one day apart.

US State Troopers patrol near the Pentagon after a report of an active shooter and lockdown in Washington, DC (AFP)

Two men were killed and three other people were injured in a second shooting outside a mourning ceremony in St. Paul, Minnesota, this weekend.

St. Paul Police Department reported that all five victims were shot in a parking lot just after 5 pm on Saturday following a memorial service. One individual died on the spot, while another died at a hospital after being transported there in a private vehicle.

A man in serious condition and two ladies with non-life-threatening injuries were among the three injured.

As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been made. The names of the victims were not immediately published.

Saturday's shooting came just one day after three teens were shot and injured at a funeral reception for a Harding High School student who had been stabbed at school two weeks earlier.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted on Saturday night that “the gun violence in St. Paul this weekend is unacceptable.”

The gun violence in St. Paul this weekend is unacceptable. I’m committed to increasing public safety funding, getting illegal guns off the streets, and addressing gang activity to curb the cycle of violence.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) February 26, 2023

Although there was no proof linking the two-weekend shootings, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter expressed frustration with the violence.

“We are tired of having this press conference. We’re tired of the words ‘disgusted’ and ‘senseless’ and ‘frustrating’ — and we’re tired of having to figure out how to wrap words around violence,” Carter stated at a Saturday night press conference.

“When we see events like tonight it shakes our sense of security; it’s just plain heartbreaking,” he added.

Mass shootings in the United States are on the rise, with Gun Violence Archive reporting that there have been more than 70 mass shootings so far this year.

Recently, the United States has been rocked by a succession of high-profile mass shootings, including in schools, churches, grocery stores, and hospitals. The incidents have collectively left dozens dead.