A Minneapolis police officer was shot in an ambush while trailing robbery suspects on the city’s North Side. Officer Jacob Spies, a veteran of the department, was wounded in the shoulder after his unmarked vehicle came under automatic gunfire. He was quickly taken to a nearby hospital, where he received treatment and was later discharged.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara initially referred to the incident as an ambush, but later stated that the gunmen may not have been aware they were targeting a police officer. O’Hara mentioned that it was unclear whether the suspects believed the officer was law enforcement or someone else, but their intent seemed to be to cause harm to whoever was in the vehicle.
The police officer, not wearing a full uniform but rather an understated blue Minneapolis police T-shirt, may not have been immediately identifiable as an officer. This could explain why the gunmen opened fire without realizing their target was a police officer. Four suspects, including a teenage boy, were eventually apprehended. Investigators also discovered an unregistered ghost gun, a firearm without serial numbers.
Authorities are still determining whether the gunmen fired from inside their vehicle or while standing on the street. The incident unfolded on a particularly violent night in Minneapolis, which saw numerous priority 1 calls, including a mass shooting and a fatal domestic stabbing.
Despite the recent reduction in gunshot and homicide victims in Minneapolis, Friday night’s events served as a reminder that there is still work to be done to ensure public safety. Chief O’Hara and Mayor Jacob Frey expressed their concerns, emphasizing the need to address the ongoing issues that lead to such violence.
The sequence of events leading up to the shooting began when officers spotted a white Chevrolet Equinox believed to be connected to a recent robbery. As officers attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle initially complied but then fled. Approximately an hour later, Officer Spies, who was on a focused enforcement detail with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, encountered the same Chevy in a different location. He pursued the vehicle while calling for backup.
At around 9:16 p.m., Officer Spies turned a corner and found himself in the middle of an onslaught of automatic gunfire. Fourteen rounds were fired, with six hitting the squad car and one striking Officer Spies in the shoulder, an area not protected by his ballistic armor. He managed to drive to a nearby intersection where another officer pulled him from the vehicle and rushed him to the hospital.
Following the shooting, officers noticed the same Chevrolet Equinox in another neighborhood. Several squad cars pursued the vehicle, but the driver refused to pull over and a high-speed chase ensued. It ended when the suspect vehicle crashed into a parked car. Two men, a woman, and a teenage boy were arrested. All three males sustained injuries and were hospitalized, with one of them bitten by a police dog.
The incident highlights the inherent dangers law enforcement officers face daily while protecting their communities. It also opens up discussions about the appropriate use of force and the need for ongoing training.
Officer Spies was released from the hospital and received an overwhelming show of support from fellow officers upon his departure.
As the investigation continues, community leaders have raised concerns about excessive force used during the arrests, with a Facebook post circulating that alleges a 16-year-old boy was severely beaten. Chief O’Hara, however, stated that he reviewed dashcam footage and found no evidence of excessive force from his officers, and the incident will remain under investigation.
The shooting serves as a stark reminder of the challenges law enforcement officers encounter and the ongoing work needed to maintain public safety. While Minneapolis has made progress in reducing gun violence and homicides, incidents like this highlight the need for continued efforts to ensure the safety of officers and the community.
