Man shot dead confronting car burglar in Minneapolis, police say

Man shot dead confronting car burglar in Minneapolis, police sayMan shot dead confronting car burglar in Minneapolis, police say

Minneapolis police say a man who confronted another person apparently trying to steal from a car was shot dead Thursday morning in the city’s Seward neighborhood.

Officers responded to an area near East 26th Street and 32nd Avenue South on Thursday morning after receiving a call for a man who had been shot around 7 a.m.

According to the police, when they arrived, they found a man down on the ground with a single gunshot injury. The man was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said that about a half-hour earlier, the man in his 40s was seen entering work for the day.

Police said that while in the parking lot, the victim saw another man who appeared to be trying to steal something from inside a vehicle.

Officers said that when the man confronted the suspect, a brief struggle ensued between the two, resulting in the man being shot.

Police said that around 20 minutes later, the man’s coworker found him and called 911.

At this time, police have not identified the suspect and they are not in custody, but were working to identify them and were following up on several leads.

“This is a tragic morning here today in south Minneapolis. A man lost his life after confronting someone that appears to be attempting to commit a theft from a vehicle,” Police Chief Brian O’Hara said. “This is absolutely senseless and tragic for someone to lose their life over an attempted petty theft. It’s crazy.”“It could have been me. I mean, could have been any of the people I work with. That’s crazy,” Damon Holston said, whose job is steps away from the parking lot.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spoke to at least four people in the area who said they’ve experienced or know someone who had their car broken into while at work in the same area.

“I wouldn’t say out of the ordinary, but it’s certainly not nice to have happened,” Holston said. “I’ll keep exercising the same caution I do. It’s a city, and there’s stuff happens, and you just got to be aware of your surroundings.”

People who work nearby say the shooting is a wake-up call that anything can happen.

“It’s always unsettling when things like that happen nearby where you work and live,” said Tim King, who works nearby. “Generally, I feel safe here.”

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Tipsters can also call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at CrimeStoppersMN.org.

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The post Man shot dead confronting car burglar in Minneapolis, police say first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.