Years of threats preceded deadly Minneapolis shooting - startribune.com
Carlton Johnson II, who had a long history of criminal behavior and threats, was killed after a mass shooting in downtown Minneapolis that left two dead and two police officers wounded. Court records show a pattern of escalating violence and failed interventions.
Why it matters
The case highlights systemic failures in the legal and mental health systems regarding individuals with a documented history of violent threats.
Carlton Johnson II had a long history of threats and violence that ended Wednesday when he allegedly shot six people in downtown Minneapolis, killing two and wounding two police officers.
In June, Johnson, 35, allegedly walked around Shoreline Plaza — where Wednesday’s mass shooting occurred — waving a gun and threatening to kill someone, according to court records.
That and other menacing behavior had led Shoreline Plaza’s owner to launch eviction proceedings the same month.
One man who lived in the building even went to police and accused Johnson of threatening him with a gun on June 25, though no charges were filed.
Johnson, who police say was killed in an “exchange of gunfire” after Wednesday’s rampage, was also hit with a restraining order in 2023 for allegedly sexually assaulting and threatening a woman, Hennepin County court records say.
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