2 Officers ID'ed In Fatal Minneapolis Shooting That Left Cop, Gunman Dead: Authorities

MINNEAPOLIS — The two Minneapolis police officers who exchanged fire with Mustafa Mohamed after Mohamed shot and killed Officer Jamal Mitchell in what authorities characterized as an “ambush” have been identified by investigators.

They are Officer Nick Kapinos, a 10-year law enforcement veteran, and Officer Luke Kittock, who has served nine years in law enforcement, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Both are on critical incident leave, authorities said Sunday.

Police were called around 5:15 p.m. Thursday about two people shot at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Blaisdell Avenue South in the Whittier neighborhood.

Mitchell, 36, was the first to arrive and reported two men with injuries in the street, later identified as 35-year-old Mohamed and a bystander who had been shot, authorities said. Mitchell left his car and approached Mohamed, who was sitting beside a parked vehicle, to ask if he was hurt or needed help, when Mohamed pulled out a gun and shot Mitchell at close range, according to the bureau.

More officers reached the scene and saw Mohamed continuing to shoot Mitchell, authorities said. Mohamed started firing at the new arrivals as they approached, at which time Kapinos and Kittock returned fire with a department handgun and rifle, respectively, striking Mohamed, according to the bureau.

Mohamed died at the scene, Mitchell died at a hospital and Kittock was hurt but has since been treated and released, authorities said, adding a Minneapolis firefighter was also injured in connection with the incident. The bystander remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition as of Sunday, according to the bureau.

Bureau personnel recovered a handgun with an extended magazine and cartridge casings from the scene, authorities said, adding there is body and police vehicle camera footage of the incident, which agents are reviewing.

Officers did search the inside of the apartment complex and found two more people shot, including one who was dead and another who required hospitalization and was in critical condition, according to the bureau.