A homecoming football game at a Minnesota high school was disrupted by gunfire Friday night, leaving two Somali teenagers wounded in what police described as a likely gang-related shooting.
The shooting was reported around 8:40 p.m. in a parking lot north of Eden Prairie High School as the school’s football team faced Minnetonka High School, according to the Eden Prairie Police Department.
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Police said the victims were Somali males from St. Paul, ages 17 and 18. Neither was enrolled at Eden Prairie High School or Minnetonka High School, authorities said.
Both teenagers were transported to Hennepin Healthcare with injuries that were not life-threatening. The 18-year-old was released Saturday, while the 17-year-old was still hospitalized.
Investigators said a large fight erupted on the west side of Aerie Stadium shortly before the shooting. Officers intervened, broke up the altercation and removed several people from the stadium grounds. A short time later, shots were fired in the school parking lot.
“Based on the investigation so far, police believe the shooting was gang-related,” the department said in an update issued Saturday.
Authorities said investigators were following several leads, but they lacked enough specific information about a suspect to release a public description.
The shooting forced officials to evacuate Aerie Stadium during the second half of the homecoming game. Students, players and spectators were directed off school property while police secured the scene.
Eden Prairie High School subsequently canceled its homecoming dance, which had been scheduled for Saturday night.
Classes resumed Monday, with additional support made available to students and employees.
The interrupted football game also continued Monday. Eden Prairie defeated Minnetonka 28-21.
The violence has renewed debate in Minnesota’s Somali community over gun violence involving young people.
Hassanen Mohamed, executive director of the Minnesota Somali Community Center, told KSTP on Monday that political attacks aimed at Minnesota’s broader Somali population were misguided. He also said the community needed to address violence involving some young people.
Police have not named a specific gang in connection with the Eden Prairie shooting.
In a separate incident Monday night, Eden Prairie officers detained four people after shots were fired at a Speedway gas station roughly a mile from the high school. No injuries were reported.
Authorities have not said the gas station shooting was connected to Friday night’s gunfire outside the high school.
