Two weekend shootings at Minneapolis homeless encampments left three people dead and three others wounded, with police suspecting a connection between the two incidents. The first shooting occurred early Saturday morning, resulting in one death and two injuries. The second shooting, a triple shooting on Sunday afternoon, left two men dead and a woman critically wounded. Police are investigating the possibility of suspects fleeing on foot and have not made any arrests in connection to the shootings. Mayor Jacob Frey attributed the rise in violence near homeless encampments to the presence of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid linked to a significant number of drug overdose deaths. The victims of the shootings were identified as Deven Leonard Caston, Louis Lemons Jr., and Christopher Washington, all of whom died from multiple gunshot wounds. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara condemned the violence, calling the killings “outrageous” and emphasizing the need for residents of encampments to utilize available resources to address substance abuse and mental health issues.
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