Student killed, another shot at Minnesota school

Suspect had fled when police arrived on scene in Minneapolis suburb

MINNEAPOLIS — One student was shot and killed, and another severely wounded outside a school Tuesday afternoon in Richfield, a suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul, police said.

The shooter or shooters remained at large Tuesday evening, police said.

The shooting happened just after noon on a sidewalk outside the South Education Center, an alternative school that serves students from pre-K to age 21.

Richfield Police Chief Jay Henthorne said officers arrived to the school to discover the two wounded on the sidewalk outside.

The suspects had fled the scene by then, he said.

Medical personnel transported the students to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance. One of them died there, the chief said. Emergency dispatch audio disclosed that one of the students was shot in the chest.

“This is a tragic day in the city of Richfield,” Henthorne said at a short press briefing about 2½ hours after the shooting. “Our … hearts and prayers and thoughts go out to District 287 students, their families and their community.”

District Superintendent Sandra Lewandowski called the shooting “a terrible tragedy and loss. We are deeply saddened and will do everything we can to … support the families, classmates and staff in whatever way possible. There are no words to describe the bravery exhibited by our staff and local authorities today. No one should ever have to respond to a tragedy like this.”

The boy who was killed was high school student Jamari Rice, said close family friend Damik Bryant, who was organizing a candlelight vigil for Tuesday night .

Bryant said Rice was “happy, funny” and liked to play video games.

Rice’s father is Cortez Rice, who is in jail on charges that he tried to intimidate Regina Chu, the Hennepin County judge who presided over last month’s manslaughter trial of fired Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter. Potter was convicted of killing Daunte Wright last April and awaits sentencing.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, Gov. Tim Walz said, “I’m currently being briefed on the situation unfolding in Richfield. Our Department of Public Safety is in touch with local law enforcement, and we are monitoring the situation closely.”

Officials with the Richfield School District were also reaching out to parents Tuesday.