Somali gang fight, shooting at Eden Prairie, Minn high school football game forces canceling of homecoming

A shooting outside a Minnesota high school homecoming football game left two people injured and prompted police to evacuate the stadium. The shooting is believed to be connected to Somali gang violence. The incident also led the school to cancel its homecoming dance.

Police responded to reports of gunfire outside Aerie Stadium at Eden Prairie High School at around 8:40 pm on Friday. The school grounds were cleared while the game was underway. Two people were transported to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said that the shooting is believed to have been targeted and that neither of the victims were students at the school. According to a report by Fox 9, the shooting was related to Somali gang violence. Police have not identified the shooters publicly.

Eden Prairie Superintendent Josh Swanson addressed the incident in a social media post, calling it a difficult night for the community.

“Tonight was a hard night for our community. A night that was meant to celebrate all that makes us Eagles was tarnished by the selfish and violent acts of a few. And yet, in this moment, we saw our community shine,” Swanson said.

"Our community took care of one another and our visitors, leading to an evacuation with zero injuries that was almost entirely complete within an hour,” he added. "This is what it means to be an Eagle, and I could not be more proud.”

School principal Jaysen Anderson also announced that the upcoming homecoming dance would be canceled.

“As a principal and a parent, I want to acknowledge how hard last night was for our community, and also the feelings and needs that will continue to show up over the coming days,” the principal posted on Facebook. “Due to last night’s tragic and unfortunate event, we will not be holding our Homecoming Dance this evening. While we believe we would have the planning, resources and support to make tonight’s event safe and enjoyable, holding a dance less than 24 hours after a trauma in our community feels out of place.”

The principal added that school officials would focus on preparation to “adequately support all students and staff when they return to the building on Monday.”

“And I want to be clear that despite the tragedy of last night, I was also deeply moved and inspired by people across our community showing what Eagle pride looks like at its best through the care and support they showed in a moment we all never wanted to experience,” Anderson added.