The national guard and Minnesota police were shot dead during a shooting, officials said.

The national guard and Minnesota police were shot dead during a shooting, officials said.

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The team provided safety in the Minneapolis area when a light SUV drove past about 4:19 local time (05:19 ET) and several shots were fired.

No team members were seriously injured, although two members of the National Guard sustained minor injuries: one was injured by broken glass and taken to a local hospital, while the other sustained ‘only superficial injuries’.

The city is on edge ahead of the expected conclusion this week in the trial of Derek Chauvin, former police officer over the death of George Floyd in May last year. The area has had additional protests over the past week following the deadly police shooting of Daunte Wright in downtown Brooklyn, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Minneapolis and other U.S. cities increase security ahead of Derek Chauvin trial

The Minnesota National Guard was activated in response to both incidents, the National Guard said in a statement, joining Operation Safety Net, an effort involving the state, the Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff. .

“I am relieved to know that none of our guard has been seriously injured,” Minnesota National Guard Adjutant General Shawn Manke said in the statement. “This event highlights the volatility and tension in our communities at the moment. I ask for peace as we work through this difficult time.”

Governor Tim Walz told CNN’s subsidiary WCCO that he had spoken to the two injured guards – one of whom said he had previously served in a national guard unit.

“They’re OK,” Walz said. “But it underscores how dangerous the situation can become.”

Asked about the upcoming verdict in the Chauvin trial, Walz said: “The verdict is going to be a turning point in the history of our state, and how we respond to it is going to shape us.”

CNN’s Raja Razek contributed to this report.

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