“Our heart breaks as a community,” Buffalo Police Chief Pat Budke said. “This is a day no community would want to go through.”
Budke told KSTP the shooting happened inside the Allina Clinic Crossroads campus. He said the situation was contained as of 11:42 a.m. and there is no continuing threat to public safety.
Budke added that there are victims, although “we don’t know of any fatalities right now.”
He said the Minneapolis bomb squad is heading to the scene to check and clear the site where the incident occurred. During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said “improvised explosive devices” were used during the incident.
While Walz said explosive devices were used, Budke said it was unclear if an incendiary device was detonated. He said there is damage to the building, however, he said it is unclear if it is from gunfire or an explosive.
A spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said the agency had a crew headed to the scene. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also tweeted that it has special agents and crime scene personnel en route to the scene.
North Memorial Health spokeswoman Abigail Greenheck said multiple victims were brought to its hospital in Robbinsdale. She did not say how many or what condition they were in.
The Minnesota State Patrol said its pilots are flying six boxes of blood from the Red Cross to the Buffalo Hospital so it is ready for victims of the shooting. The patrol also said troopers are on scene to help secure the area, and urged the public to stay away from the scene and give law enforcement room to work.
Due to the situation, Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools canceled all evening activities.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a statement on Twitter.
There is an unspeakable depravity in doing harm to those who work to heal us. Those who have stepped up and risked their own health for ours.
Our first responders are on their way to the scene to help. Today Minneapolis stands with our neighbors in Buffalo.
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) February 9, 2021
This is a breaking news story. KSTP is working on confirming more details at this time. Be sure to refresh your browser for the latest information.