7 people wounded in late-night shootout outside bar at Lake and Lyndale in south Minneapolis

A shootout early Thursday morning outside a south Minneapolis restaurant and bar left seven people injured and police searching for suspects and a motive.

The gunfire erupted about 12:20 a.m. outside the Side Chick restaurant and bar on Lyndale Avenue S. just south of W. Lake Street, police said. The shooting left one person in critical condition, five in serious condition and one in good condition. All were expected to survive, authorities said.

Numerous calls to 911 sent officers to "a very chaotic scene," where three gunshot victims were located, according to a statement from police.

The officers were soon told that at least three other shooting victims had already left for HCMC, the statement continued.

A seventh victim police believed to be from the same shooting showed up in a private vehicle at North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale.

"Preliminary investigation indicates that two people were shooting at each other outside of a business, and numerous people were injured," the police statement read.

Investigators were trying to determine whether the shooters were among the wounded.

Side Chick owner Jado Hark said he was helping police with their investigation through the overnight hours and turned over surveillance footage to authorities.

"It's my understanding that it was a drive-by shooting from a car on Lyndale," Hark said. "The shooting took place on the street, not even the sidewalk. ... It's hard to control what happens on the street."

Michael Carpenter identified one of those shot as his daughter, 18-year-old Mykia Carpenter. He said she works as a server at Side Chick.

The father said early Thursday afternoon that she was undergoing surgery, and he was catching a flight from Chicago to be with her.

Hark said Carpenter had worked earlier that day and was "outside hanging out with someone" on her own time.

Mykia Carpenter is a 2021 graduate of North Community High School in Minneapolis.

"Mykia was caught in crossfire last night," the school posted on its Facebook page. "She has survived and is receiving excellent medical care."

Principal Mauri Friestleben told the Star Tribune that Carpenter suffered a gunshot wound to the neck.

The post concluded, "Please allow us this opportunity as a school to step out of our traditional sanitized state and be real and raw with you, World. We need your help."

Thursday's mass shooting comes about two months after two people were shot to death and eight others wounded outside a downtown nightclub in the 300 block of 1st Avenue N.

About 14 months ago, gunfire at Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue S. wounded 11 people outside an Uptown restaurant.

Hark said he intends to keep Side Chick closed until Monday "out of respect for Mykia and all the rest who were involved."

Side Chick debuted in mid-June, said Hark, who added that he has no intention of giving up so quickly on his business venture.

"I'm emotionally attached here," he said. "I am a firm believer Minneapolis will come back around. ... This is not going to affect my faith in my town."

Anyone with information is encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Tips may be submitted electronically at CrimeStoppersMN.org. All tips are anonymous, and information leading to an arrest and conviction may lead to a reward.

Staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482