Authorities have not announced a motive as investigators examine the background of the suspected shooter and events preceding Wednesday’s attack.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Investigators were working Thursday to determine what prompted a deadly shooting inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building as court records and law enforcement sources pointed to an eviction dispute involving the man suspected of killing two people and wounding several others.
The shooting Wednesday afternoon near 15 E. Grant St. left two victims dead and several people injured, including three Minneapolis police officers. The suspected shooter also died. Authorities had not publicly announced a motive or formally identified the gunman during their initial briefing.
Multiple law enforcement sources identified the suspected shooter to CBS News as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson. Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson said police were familiar with the suspected gunman but did not publicly confirm his identity Wednesday night. Authorities cautioned that the investigation remained active.
Court records reviewed by CBS Minnesota showed that the suspected shooter had been facing eviction from the apartment complex after a series of incidents that included allegations involving threats and a firearm. The records indicated that the housing dispute had developed over several months before Wednesday’s shooting.
According to the court records, one reported incident in June involved allegations that the tenant made threats involving a gun and displayed a firearm to a security employee. In another incident days later, he was accused of threatening a resident with a gun and being seen outside with a firearm. Those allegations were part of the housing case and should not be treated as findings about what caused Wednesday’s violence.
Authorities had not established whether the eviction dispute or any earlier confrontation was connected to the shooting. Police had also not said whether any of the people killed or injured were specifically targeted. Investigators were still working to determine the relationships, if any, between the suspected shooter and the victims.
The violence began shortly after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday when police received a 911 call reporting gunfire at the downtown high-rise. Officers arrived within minutes, entered the building and found victims. They then heard more gunfire from an upper floor and moved toward it, according to police.
Officers encountered a haze that significantly reduced their visibility as they continued through the building. Two officers were shot during the response, while a third suffered a different injury. One officer was shot in the leg, and another underwent surgery after suffering gunshot wounds to the abdomen. Officials said the officers were stable and expected to recover.
Police said one civilian victim died inside the building and another died after being transported to a hospital. Other people were wounded. Officials had not released the identities of the dead or provided a complete account of the injuries to all surviving victims by early Thursday.
The suspected gunman was eventually found dead. Minneapolis police initially said the circumstances of his death were not clear. Local news organizations, citing law enforcement sources, later reported that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but investigators had not publicly detailed that finding during the initial police briefing.
The shooting triggered a large response from Minneapolis police and assisting agencies, including state and federal authorities. Officers secured the building and surrounding streets while medical crews treated victims and investigators began collecting evidence. Authorities later said the immediate danger to the public had ended.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting with the investigation. Police were continuing to review evidence and interview witnesses Thursday as authorities worked to identify the victims, confirm the suspected shooter’s identity and determine whether the eviction proceedings or earlier reported threats played any role in the attack.
Author note: Last updated September 3, 2026.