Police link fatal shootings in Brooklyn Park, Mpls.

Shooting crash
The SUV driven by the man police say was a 'person of interest' in the two homicides crashed into a fence at a gas station on Lake Street between 17th and 18th avenues just after 7 a.m. this morning. Minneapolis Police Sgt. Jesse Garcia says the man shot himself and crashed.
MPR Photo/Brandt Williams

Two fatal shootings that happened overnight in north Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park appear to be linked, police officials said Thursday.

Authorities chased a suspect in both shootings driving down Lake Street this morning. Sgt. Jesse Garcia of the Minneapolis Police Department said the police believe the suspect took his own life while driving on Lake Street near Cedar Avenue.

"We're fortunate that no one else was hurt in the ending of this," Garcia said. "When somebody goes on a spree like this and becomes a person of interest and then takes their own life, obviously, it's out of your control."

The first shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. in a north Minneapolis home, where one woman was killed and another woman was found with critical injuries.

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KSTP-TV reports the injured woman was able to call 911. She was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.

Police responded to the second shooting at about 3:20 a.m. A man was found dead in a Brooklyn Park home.

The Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis Police departments and the Hennepin County Sherrif responded to the incidents and say they are continuing to investigate.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)