Two injured after gunfire near U campus raises safety concerns as school begins

Walker Orenstein, Star Tribune on Sep 7, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — Two men were injured by suspected gunfire near the University of Minnesota early Sunday, reviving concerns about student safety as classes begin Tuesday.

University of Minnesota Police Chief Michael Davis told The Minnesota Star Tribune his department understands the fears and said “we’re making the needed adjustments to do what we can to make it safe.”

Minneapolis police said officers heard gunshots when helping university police respond to “several disturbances” near 4th Street SE and 13th Avenue SE in Dinkytown around 2:40 a.m. Sunday.

Police said they helped the injured men and detained several people at the scene, arresting an 18-year-old man from Otsego who police said had a handgun without a permit to carry. That man was booked at the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of a weapons violation, according to a Minneapolis police news release.

Police said they also recovered several other handguns.

The wounded men, who were sent to a local hospital by ambulance, have injuries that are not life threatening, according to police.

The U sent out two safety alerts early Sunday, and the incident has raised fears about campus safety as students prepare to start the semester. The shooting happened near school grounds in an area that has long grappled with violence and where the U and others have pushed to combat crime.

“Everyone knows that this area has had its challenges,” Davis said. “But it’s our commitment to serve the students that live in that area and also to make sure that entertainment district is safe.”

Davis said police share concerns students might have about the area.

“We’ve taken ownership of that area, we’ve been there throughout the summer,” Davis said. “We’ll continue to be there, leading the way with our law enforcement partners.”

Davis said police are dealing with a “cocktail of things” late at night when people are exiting bars after descending on Dinkytown from outside the area, given it draws people from across the Twin Cities.

“We were there all summer, through the Fourth of July, there weren’t any issues,” he said.

For those concerned about safety, Davis suggested student resources, such as calling 612-624-WALK to have university security walk with people when on or near campus, or calling “Gopher Chauffeur” for safe rides.

In an email to students on Sunday, Davis wrote police have made “new investments in the area to support safety, including improved lighting, additional patrols and partnerships with the Minneapolis Police Department and other agencies.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune reported last year that increasing concerns from students, their parents and lawmakers led to bolstered efforts for more patrols of the most affected off-campus areas. Those efforts appeared to help, leading to drops in theft, burglary, assault and drug offenses.

The shooting Sunday came after a stabbing in the area on Friday. Davis called it an “isolated case” and said police have arrested someone.

Two popular online accounts — Barstool Gophers and Gopher Chicks — that follow Gopher sports published a statement saying “students should be able to go to class, go out, and have fun without the risk of violence.”

“This is not a post for passing blame on anyone,” the statement says. “It is acknowledging a problem that isn’t going away.”