A suspect was arrested after the Monday shooting death of a 17-year-old staffer working for Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Republican opponent, Lacy Johnson.
“Today, we are shocked and saddened to learn of this senseless act of violence. It is shocking and unnecessary acts of violence like this that prove why change is more needed than ever in our community,” Johnson said in a statement on Monday.
A suspect was arrested in connection with the shooting after a police pursuit on Thursday morning, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
The 17-year-old staffer and another man were outside of a convenience store Monday when a gunman opened fire on them. Both people were rushed to the hospital, where the teenager was pronounced dead. The other man is expected to recover from his injuries.
Neither the police nor Johnson believe the shooting was connected to the campaign.
Violence and crime have skyrocketed in the city following the death of George Floyd when he was in police custody in May, which also sparked protests all over the country. The Minnesota city has recorded more homicides in 2020 than it did in all of 2019.
The Minneapolis City Council also voted unanimously in June to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. The plan called for the police to be replaced with a “Department of Community Safety,” but it was delayed in August when the Minneapolis Charter Commission voted to take more time to review the plan.
