Brooklyn Center Police Investigate Shooting Outside Restaurant

Brooklyn Center police are investigating a case of shots fired in which some of the bullets struck the outside of a restaurant and multiple cars on Friday evening.

Police responded at about 6:30 p.m. Friday to Panda Express in the Shingle Creek Crossing Center. Upon arrival, police recovered close to two dozen bullet casings.

Damage from the shooting was still visible at the restaurant on Monday.

“When they had shot the window, I literally ducked and ran. I was scared,” said Erica Williams, employee at Panda Express, which resumed operations. “I’ve never been in that type of situation before. So to me, I was traumatized, honestly.”

The Panda Express in Brooklyn Center resumed operations on Monday

According to police, the shooting occurred between two groups of two people who likely knew each other. Police say two individuals had entered the restaurant, but left without completing their purchase after noticing two others. The first group then got into a vehicle and fired at the other two people, who were parked near the front of the restaurant, police said.

“Miraculously, there have been no reports of injuries stemming from the gunfire,” Brooklyn Center police said in an alert released late Sunday.

Both groups fled following the gunfire.

Police say the department’s new mobile camera trailer unit was in a different location at the time of the shooting, but other security cameras are in the area. A spokesperson for Brooklyn Center police told CCX News on Monday that the department may release surveillance video at later date but is continuing to work on potential leads. 

Brooklyn Center