MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minneapolis Police are investigating the first homicide of the year after a shooting at a downtown hotel early Saturday morning. Brian Griffin, a 33-year-old man, is now behind bars awaiting charges.
Visitors at the Millennium Hotel came and went Saturday, unaware of the police presence earlier this morning after the shooting.
“I didn’t hear anything at night or anything,” said Janelle Bengtson, a guest at the Millennium Hotel.
It was around 2:30 a.m. when Minneapolis Police found a man dead inside a hotel room, the victim of a shooting. Several people had rented a room on one of the upper floors of the hotel.
“We don’t believe there’s a public safety risk, sounds like these parties possibly knew each other,” said Sgt. Steve McCarty of the Minneapolis Police Department.
NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Bruce Hagevik Reports
An arrest came quickly and not far away. Officers heard the alleged shooter ran to the Hyatt across the street. A short time later, police had Griffin in handcuffs.
“Knowing there’s an arrest, I’m definitely glad to know that,” said Bengtson.
It is the first homicide of the year in Minneapolis and happened in an area not accustomed to seeing violent crime.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim Saturday afternoon as 33-year-old Jeremy Robert Shannon, a white man from Minneapolis. The report says Shannon died on the ninth floor of the hotel from several multiple wounds.
“I’ve been a police officer in this city 21 years and I haven’t seen any shootings, let alone homicides, at our downtown hotels,” said Sgt. McCarty.
“It is pretty shocking, like I mentioned earlier, I do feel like this area is a lot safer than most areas,” said Erica Villarreal, who lives nearby.
Police do think there were witnesses to this shooting and are asking anyone with information to give them a call at 612-692-TIPS (8477).
