One dead in shooting inside Dollar Tree in Burnsville; suspect arrested

Two men were shot inside a Dollar Tree store in a Burnsville shopping area over the noon hour Monday, and a suspect is in custody, police said.

One victim died Monday evening at Hennepin County Medical Center. The other victim was also taken to HCMC and his condition was not immediately known.

The gunfire occurred about 12:15 p.m. in the bargain discount store in the 14000 block of Aldrich Avenue S., said Police Chief Eric Gieseke.

A man suspected of being involved in the shooting was arrested without incident a few blocks away, Gieseke said.

Police dispatch audio traffic revealed that one person was shot in the torso and another in the head.

No motive for the shooting has yet been established, said Gieseke, who call the incident "tragic and senseless."

Gieseke said he didn't know whether the victims were customers or employees, or whether they knew the suspect.

Shortly before 3 p.m., officers began removing yellow crime scene tape that had blocked off a large section of the Dollar Tree parking lot. The Burnsville Mobile Command Unit remained on the scene.

Dollar Tree employees said they were told not to talk about the incident.

Gieseke said the call initially came in as an active-shooter situation, which he called alarming.

"Our officers trained for this type of scenario," the chief said, "but it was still very devastating and disturbing."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482