Shooting, Brawl At Minnesota State Fair Triggers Mass Crowd Panic, Exodus, And Early Closure
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – A person was shot during a brawl in the Midway section of the Minnesota State Fair Saturday night, triggering a mass panic and chaotic crowd rushing out of the area, resulting in the early closure of the fairgrounds.
The Minnesota State Fair Police Department said that officers responded to a gunshot shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Carnes Avenue and Liggett Street when the area was “heavily populated with fair guests and a large contingent of law enforcement.”
The gunshot happened within 15-20 feet of “dozens of law enforcement officers,” State Fair Police Chief Ron Knafla said during a press conference Sunday.
Officers later located a victim with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the leg, and paramedics took the victim to the hospital. The shooter took off in the crowd and was not arrested. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting with the investigation.
Knafla said police were already at the scene of the shooting, responding to a report of a fight and large groups of juveniles running through the midway. Witnesses described seeing a fight involving multiple people near the area, with police moving quickly to break it up.
Ali Nesmith says she was in a bar nearby when she saw a commotion and looked over to see a group of about three people fighting. As people started to run, she noticed her eyes burning. She believes it was tear gas, though says an officer later told her it was pepper spray.
“A fog overtook the intersection, and you could hear echoes of people coughing and gagging, everyone was covering their nose and mouth with their shirts and sweatshirts,” she told FOX 9.
“There was a shift, people were running away, and then people just started booking out of there. It all happened so quick… all I knew is that I just wanted to get away from there,” she added.
One fairgoer who declined to be interviewed on the record told FOX 9 she heard three gunshots. She recorded on her phone the panicked moments as she and her friends ran away.
The State Fair issued an update just before 11 p.m. saying “The fairgrounds began closing early this evening at approximately 10:20 p.m. due to disturbances in the area of the Midway. There is nothing more to confirm at this time.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued a statement on Twitter thanking law enforcement for their response.
Law enforcement will be doubled at the fair on Sunday and Monday, officials said during the press conference.
Anyone with information about Saturday’s incident can reach out to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tip line at 651-793-7000 or email john.engle@msfpd.org.
