“Our heart breaks as a community,” said Pat Budke, Buffalo’s chief of police. “This is a day that no community would like to go through.”
Budke told KSTP that the shooting took place on the Allina Clinic Crossroads campus. He said the situation was contained as of 11:42 am and there is no continuing threat to public security.
Budke added that there are victims, although “we do not know of any deaths at the moment”.
He said the Minneapolis bomb squad is going to the scene to check and clean up where the incident occurred. During a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said “improvised explosive devices” were used during the incident.
While Walz said explosive devices were used, Budke said it was not clear whether an incendiary device was detonated. He said there was damage to the building, however, he said it was unclear whether it was from shots or an explosive.
A spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said the agency had a team directed to the site. The Minnesota Criminal Seizure Department also tweeted that it has special agents and crime scene personnel en route to the scene.
North Memorial Health spokeswoman Abigail Greenheck said several victims had been taken to the hospital in Robbinsdale. She did not say how many or what conditions they were in.
Minnesota State Patrol said its pilots are transporting six boxes of Red Cross blood to Buffalo Hospital, so it is ready for the victims of the shooting. The patrol also said that soldiers are on the scene to help protect the area and asked the public to stay away from the area and allow space for law enforcement to work.
Due to the situation, the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools canceled all night activities.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released a statement on Twitter.
There is an indescribable depravity in doing harm to those who work to heal us. Those who tried and risked their own health for ours.
Our first aid is on the way to help. Today Minneapolis is with our neighbors in Buffalo.
– Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) February 9, 2021
This is breaking news. KSTP is currently working to confirm more details. Make sure to update your browser to get the latest information.