Two members of the Minnesota National Guard sustained minor injuries after being shot at in Minneapolis on Sunday, local authorities said.
Early Sunday morning, a white SUV rolled up and fired shots at a Minnesota National Guard and a law enforcement team who were providing neighborhood security, Fox9 reported.
One guardsman was hit by shattered glass when a bullet hit the window behind them and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, officials said. The other sustained superficial injuries from the incident. (RELATED: ‘Get More Active’: Maxine Waters Calls On Daunte Wright Protesters To Show The World That They ‘Mean Business’)
“I am relieved to know none of our Guardsmen were seriously injured,” Adjutant General Shawn Manke said in a statement released by the Minnesota National Guard. “This event highlights the volatility and tension in our communities right now. I ask for peace as we work through this difficult time.”
The Minnesota National Guard was activated as part of Operation Safety Net, an effort to prevent violence during the Derek Chauvin trial as well as in the aftermath of the shooting of Daunte Wright. The operation is a joint effort that includes the Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the state of Minnesota, and local jurisdictions, the statement said.
“All we can do is kind of stand strong while we’re here,” Seargent Justin Haynes said, according to CBS Minnesota. “It is surreal because I don’t expect to get shot at in uniform protecting my streets, on my streets that I come home to.” (RELATED: ‘Don’t You Dare Start This Sh*t Tonight’: Man Screams At BLM Protesters)
“It is surreal because I don’t expect to get shot at in uniform protecting my streets, on my streets that I come home to.” 2 MN National Guard members were injured in a drive-by shooting in Minneapolis early Sunday. | https://t.co/ziQe2NST2c pic.twitter.com/wJexKx5Iah
— WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) April 19, 2021
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told CBS Minnesota that he spoke with the two injured guardsmen and said that “they are OK,” according to CNN. “But it highlights how dangerous the situation can get.”