US Shootings This Weekend: 2 Dead, Several Wounded In Three Different States

A violent Sunday (June 21) in Minnesota, Illinois and Florida saw two people shot dead and at least 14 others injured. None of the shooters had been arrested at the time of publishing this article.

In Minneapolis, a shooting between two groups of armed men at Hennepin Avenue South led to the death of one person and injuries to 11 people, according to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). Hennepin Avenue South was hit by looting and wanton destruction perpetrated by criminal gangs during the George Floyd protests. Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after an MPD cop knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.

Witnesses reported two groups of men started shooting at each other about half an hour past midnight Sunday. MPD said the long gunfight turned into a running gunbattle that continued down the block. The gunfight was reported to 911 by multiple callers.

One witness said he first thought the popping sounds were fireworks, but began doubting that when it kept going on and on.

"We started hearing whizzing by our ears, and it was the bullets coming towards us," said Erik Thompson to CNN.

In Florida, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) is investigating the death by shooting of a mother of eight children early Sunday morning at a block party gone wrong in the small city of Waldo. No one has been arrested and no suspects have been revealed.

Another person was wounded in the deadly incident that took place at 3:00 a.m. Hundreds of people and up to 500 cars were at the huge block party at 14100 Northeast 150th Avenue. Waldo has a population of some 1,000 persons.

ASCO identified the deceased as Natisha Covert, 36, an African-American. It said she suffered "from injuries consistent with gunfire.”

Sheriff’s deputies responded to calls of gunfire, but were confronted and blocked by the huge crowd at the block party. They also said some people impeded their efforts to provide CPR and medical aid to Covert by pulling deputies away.

Deputies eventually freed Covert from the crowd, took her to a patrol car that transported her to a hospital where she later died from the gunshot wounds.

"An additional victim was transported to the hospital by a friend, he has been listed as in critical but stable condition, after several surgeries," said a statement from ACSO.

In Illinois, a man was shot and wounded by an unidentified gunman inside the North Riverside Park Mall located at the village of North Riverside in Cook County.

Witnesses told police they heard at least 15 shots being fired. Police later on said the shooting took place near Kicks, a shoe store located near a J.C. Penney store. The shooter has not been identified.

The sounds of gunfire sent hundreds of people scrambling for safety.

“All of a sudden a bunch of mass confusion started," said Claudia McDonald, a shopper. "People started running like a herd of animals through the corridor of the mall, saying ‘there’s a shooter, there’s a shooter,’” “Then all of a sudden I started hearing ‘pop pop pop.’ I heard about 15 shots.”