Police said three possible suspects were taken into custody after gunfire near RiverCentre.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two young men were wounded Monday evening after shots were fired near the RiverCentre parking ramp, Grand Casino Arena and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul, police said.
The shooting brought a large police response to one of the city’s busiest civic and entertainment areas shortly after a commencement event ended nearby. St. Paul police said three possible suspects were taken into custody a short time later, but investigators were still working to determine what led to the gunfire.
Officers were called at about 5:30 p.m. Monday after multiple 911 callers reported shots fired at the RiverCentre parking ramp on West Kellogg Boulevard, according to police. When officers arrived, they reported hearing active gunfire in more than one area. Police then moved to secure three scenes: the parking ramp, the area outside Grand Casino Arena and the area outside the Ordway. “Officers were able to secure three different scenes,” the department said in a statement describing the first response. The two victims, both described by police as young adult males, were found with gunshot wounds that were not considered life-threatening.
The response stretched across several blocks near West Fifth Street, West Seventh Street, Kellogg Boulevard and Washington Street. Police tape and squad cars blocked parts of the downtown corridor while officers searched the area and investigators began collecting evidence. Authorities said three possible suspects were arrested nearby soon after officers reached the scene. Police had not released their names, ages or possible charges as of Tuesday. Officials also had not said whether the people in custody knew the victims, whether more than one gun was fired or whether the gunfire began in one location before spreading to others.
The shooting happened near a cluster of major public sites, including RiverCentre, Roy Wilkins Auditorium, Grand Casino Arena, the Ordway, Rice Park, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the George Latimer Central Library. Metro State University held its spring commencement ceremonies Monday at Roy Wilkins Auditorium, with ceremonies scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. RiverCentre’s event listing described the day as the university’s 117th commencement ceremonies. Police did not say the shooting was connected to the graduation event, and no public statement had linked the victims or suspects to the ceremony.
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her said Monday night that her thoughts were with the two people who were shot and their families. Her thanked police for what she called their immediate response to secure the scene, apprehend suspects and investigate. She also said the city would work with police and the Office of Neighborhood Safety on efforts to interrupt and prevent gun violence. Her said that work includes asking state lawmakers to fund the city’s Nonfatal Shooting Unit, expand it to other cities and deepen prevention and community partnerships. Police said investigators from that unit responded to the scene.
The area around RiverCentre is a key part of downtown St. Paul’s event district and often draws large crowds for sports, concerts, graduations, theater performances and public gatherings. Grand Casino Arena is home to the Minnesota Wild, while Roy Wilkins Auditorium and RiverCentre host conventions, school ceremonies and community events. The Ordway sits across from Rice Park and near the city’s central library. Monday’s gunfire forced police to close streets for several hours while officers worked around venues, ramps and sidewalks that had recently been used by eventgoers leaving the commencement ceremonies.
Police said the injuries to both victims were not life-threatening, but officials had not released more details about their conditions by Tuesday. Investigators were reviewing what happened before the shots were fired and whether the three scenes were part of one incident. No court records tied to the arrests were immediately announced. The next steps are expected to include evidence review, witness interviews and a decision from prosecutors on whether any charges will be filed against the people taken into custody.
Images from the scene showed a heavy presence from St. Paul police and the Minnesota State Patrol near the downtown venues. Officers stood outside the Ordway and near police tape as traffic was kept away from parts of Kellogg Boulevard and nearby streets. Witness accounts shared by local reporters described a tense scene as officers moved between the arena, the parking ramp and the performing arts center. Police said the department would provide more information when it becomes available.
The investigation remained active Tuesday, with two victims expected to survive and three possible suspects in custody. Police had not announced a motive, a charging decision or a timeline for the next public update.
Author note: Last updated May 5, 2026.