A team of members of the Minnesota National Guard and police officers in Minneapolis were hit in the city early Sunday, authorities said.
Two guards sustained minor injuries when someone in a light SUV shot at the “neighborhood security team” around 4:19 a.m. in Minneapolis, the Minnesota National Guard said in a statement.
One custodian was treated at a local hospital after being cut by broken glass, and the other one sustained only superficial injuries, the statement said.
“I am relieved to know that none of our guard was seriously injured,” said Major General Shawn Manke, Adjutant General of Minnesota.
‘This event highlights the volatility and tension in our communities at the moment. I ask for peace as we work through this difficult time. ”
The city was at the forefront amid the trial of ex-policeman Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd and protests over the fatal police shooting on Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, a suburb of Minneapolis.
The national guard was activated as part of the joint “Operation Safety Net” effort with local law enforcers “to protect people, freedom of speech and property” during the trial and protests, the statement said.
Governor Tim Walz said he spoke to the two injured guards, one in his thirties and the other in his forties, and according to CNN said they were “OK.”
“But it underscores how dangerous the situation can be,” Walz told local station WCCO.
The Democrat also called for calm before the verdict in the Chauvin trial. Jurors will begin deliberations on Monday.
“The ruling is going to be a turning point in the history of our state, and how we respond to it is going to shape us,” he said.