Two cops among ‘multiple victims’ in Minneapolis shooting (VIDEOS)

Two people have been killed and eight others injured after a shooting at a high-rise apartment building in downtown Minneapolis, with two police officers among those struck by gunfire, city officials have said.

Police were dispatched to 15 East Grant Street at around 4:36pm on Wednesday after an initial report that one person had been shot. Additional 911 callers then reported hearing more gunfire.

Officers began arriving about three minutes later and entered the high-rise, where they encountered victims and heard further shots, according to an update from the City of Minneapolis.

Police followed the sound of gunfire to an upper floor, where they encountered a “haze that significantly limited their visibility.” Three officers were injured during the response, two of them by gunfire.

One officer suffered an apparently non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg, while another was undergoing surgery. A third officer was being evaluated for an apparently non-life-threatening injury that was not described as a gunshot wound.

Six other people suffering from apparent gunshot wounds were taken to Hennepin Healthcare, officials said. One of them later died at the hospital, while another person was found dead at the scene.

The shooter was also found dead, according to the city. Authorities have not yet said how the gunman died or released information about the suspect’s identity or a possible motive.

The incident triggered a massive emergency response near the Minneapolis Convention Center, with scores of police vehicles, ambulances and armored vehicles converging on the area. Authorities urged the public to avoid a large section of the surrounding downtown district while emergency crews worked at the scene.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said state officials were assisting local law enforcement and thanked first responders working to secure the area.