State Fair Closes Early After Brawl Turns Into Mass Panic: 'There Was a Shift ... It All Happened So Quick'
A gunshot led to panic and the early closure of the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday night.
The incident took place near the entrance of the fair’s Midway, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
A statement from the fair issued Sunday said a victim was located and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The fair began closing at about 10:20 p.m., the statement said.
Our crew saw crime scene tape being put up near the Midway and everyone is being cleared out of the area. @WCCO pic.twitter.com/Fuoyk3cEPD
— Nick Streiff (@nickstreiff) September 4, 2022
Witnesses said a fight took place at Cafe Caribe on the Midway, according to KMSP-TV.
Witness Ali Jo said she saw about three people fighting.
She said a substance was released which she thought was tear gas, but which she was later told by a police officer was pepper spray.
“A fog overtook the intersection, and you could hear echoes of people coughing and gagging. Everyone was covering their nose and mouth with their shirts and sweatshirts,” she said.
Here’s the moment of the MN State Fair shooting, caught on the KSTP Livestream https://t.co/vveY2dYRTh pic.twitter.com/cUOVO0Sdi6
— ? MN Safety ? (@SafetyAlertsMN) September 4, 2022
“There was a shift. People were running away, and then people just started booking out of there,” she said.
?VIDEO: Minnesota State Fair shootingpic.twitter.com/7yw8aPfCwn
— Breaking News (@NewsJunkieBreak) September 4, 2022
“It all happened so quick … all I knew is that I just wanted to get away from there,” she said.
KMSP reported that it was told by a witness there were three shots fired, but that report could not be confirmed.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that fair security would be strengthened.
The fairgrounds have been secured. Thank you to @MnDPS_MSP and @MnDPS_BCA who are on site. We are in touch with State Fair police and officials and will have more information in the morning. Law enforcement is investigating this incident and bolstering their presence tomorrow. https://t.co/f8YgwmsTU8
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) September 4, 2022
Minnesota Public Radio said that metal detectors were stationed at the gates of the fair, but also noted that some people were scaling fences to get in without going through the gates.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting local police with an investigation into the shooting, KMSP reported.
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