Police: Multiple people shot at Minnesota clinic; 1 arrested

BUFFALO, Minn. (AP) — Multiple people were shot at a Minnesota health clinic on Tuesday, and a suspect was taken into custody afterward, police said.

The shooting happened at an Allina clinic in Buffalo, a city of about 15,000 people roughly 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis, Kelly Prestidge, an office manager for the Buffalo Police Department, told The Associated Press.

Prestidge also said one person was taken into custody, but that she didn’t have further information on the attack, including how many people were shot or if anyone was killed.

Gov. Tim Walz said at a news conference that “some improvised explosive devices” were part of the attack, though he didn’t say whether any were detonated. He also said he didn’t have confirmed information on how many people were hurt. 

“At this time it appears it was a single individual,” Walz said. “Again, (it’s) too early to tell motives or reasons why.”

Police planned to provide further information at a news conference later Tuesday.
Police Chief Pat Budke told KSTP-TV that the situation was contained shortly before noon and that there was no further threat to the public’s safety.

North Memorial Health spokeswoman Abigail Greenheck said multiple victims were brought to its hospital in Robbinsdale. She did not say how many or what condition they were in. Allina Health spokesman Timothy Burke declined to say if any victims were brought to its Buffalo hospital.

The FBI sent bomb technicians to the scene. Members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms’ enforcement group and special agents from the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also responded.

The clinic is set off at the edge of Buffalo near an old red barn with flaking paint. Dozens of emergency vehicles and men carrying guns were on the scene, setting up a perimeter. TV footage showed little activity at the clinic itself, but several shattered plate-glass windows could be seen. At least two windows were shattered at a nearby motel.

The Midwest Medical Examiners Office, which handles cases in Wright County, had no comment on whether it had sent anyone to the scene.

A state Department of Public Health spokesman said he didn’t immediately know if the clinic has been administering COVID-19 vaccinations. An Allina spokesman referred all questions to the Buffalo police and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.

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Ehlke reported from Milwaukee. Associated Press writers Tim Sullivan, in Buffalo, and Amy Forliti and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed.

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Mohamed Ibrahim is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.