Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell killed in ‘ambush’ shooting that left 4 dead as cop hailed ‘courageous hero’
AN officer killed in a mass shooting on Thursday along with three others, including the suspect, has been identified as a “courageous hero.”
Jamal Mitchell, 28, was killed after responding to a call of a double shooting at an apartment complex in Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood.
KARE11Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell was killed in a shooting that left four dead[/caption]
KARE11Mitchell was a stand-out officer who received an award on just his third day for saving an elderly couple from a fire[/caption]
APMinneapolis police said Mitchell was ‘ambushed,’ and later surrounded the apartment complex[/caption]
APOfficers were walking away from the scene in shock[/caption]
APMinneapolis police officers salute Mitchell as his body is escorted to the medical examiner[/caption]
After arriving on the scene, Minneapolis Police say Mitchell and another unnamed officer were lured into trying to help the unnamed shooter about two blocks away when the assailant “ambushed” and shot them both.
The gunman killed Mitchell and injuring the other, whose name has not yet been released.
“[Mitchell] gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and save the lives of others. His life, his service, and his name will forever be remembered in the city of Minneapolis,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey at a press conference late Thursday evening.
“Police Officer Jamal Mitchell is a courageous hero. Today is a devastating day in the city,” he continued. “He was a father. He would run towards danger when the rest of us would run in the opposite direction.”
“We need to make sure we end this epidemic of gun violence so nothing like this ever happens again.”
Mitchell, who said he joined the force because he wanted to “help save lives,” won an award on just his third day on the force in February 2023 for rushing into a burning building and saving an elderly couple.
He now leaves behind a son, a fiancé, and his parents, and many more family members, friends, and colleagues.
Thursday’s gunfire broke out shortly before 5:30 pm when witnesses said multiple shots rang out at the officers from the second floor of the apartment block, according to CBS affiliate WCCO-TV.
Ruben Molina, who lives on the third floor of the apartment complex, said he and his girlfriend heard multiple gunshots go off in different bursts.
“We heard really loud banging at first,” Molina said.
“Then we heard it again and again and again in rapid succession, and me and her were like, ‘oh those are gunshots.'”
In the aftermath of the first rounds of fire, Molina says he heard a woman frantically call 911 and say that two people were shot in the head, including her boyfriend.
When asked if he saw officers firing their weapons, Molina said, it was “multiple individuals,” and he “couldn’t say whether they were officers or otherwise,” but police later confirmed they exchanged gunfire with the unnamed shooter, who is now dead.
Police said one of the original two victims died on the scene and another suffered “grave injuries.”
Additionally, an “innocent bystander” was shot and is in the hospital fighting for their life.
A firefighter was also confirmed to be shot with non-life-threatening injuries.
Governor Tim Walz said at Thursday evening’s press conference, that the state “stands ready to provide any resources necessary.”
“This is something that should be unthinkable, but it is very thinkable because it’s now happened four times in the last couple months,” said the governor on shootings that involved public safety officers being shot and killed.
Last year, there were 378 officers shot on duty nationwide, with 46 dying, including 138 officers shot in “ambush-style attacks” like Mitchell’s, according to a report by the Fraternal Order of Police.
This is the highest ever number recorded of American officers shot in one year by the FOP.
According to another FOP report released in April, 2024 is on pace to beat that number too.
So far this year, 21 officers, not including Mitchell, have died on the job, a 25% jump from the same time last year, with another 99 being shot but surviving.
“We do not have to live this way,” Walz said.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the incident.
KMSPMinneapolis shooting sees three dead and four hurt[/caption]
KMSPAmong those shot include two police officers, with one succumbing to their injuries[/caption]
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