Loring Towers gunman issued explicit threats, bought gun in June before Sept. 2 mass shooting
Carlton Johnson II, who carried out the Sept. 2 mass shooting at Loring Towers in Minneapolis, had issued explicit threats to building staff and bought the gun in June.[1]
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the two residents killed as Dale Henry Spry, 63, and Muse A. Afrah, 61.[2] Investigators say Johnson began shooting during a custody exchange with the mother of his child; the child escaped unharmed and the mother was hospitalized.[2] Minneapolis management reported a threatening email about Johnson roughly four hours before the shooting.[3] MPD says an anonymous caller reported "terroristic threats" at about 12:41 p.m., and there was no immediate follow-up before gunfire began around 4:36 p.m.[3]
On June 4 Johnson attempted to purchase a gun at a Richfield shop and took possession on June 10 after a brief waiting period.[1] After getting the gun, security staff say Johnson began displaying it and threatening people in the building.[1] An assistant property manager filed a police report about Sept. 1 death threats, and eviction efforts were accelerated.[1]
Early news reports focused on the shooting and the custody exchange without detailing Johnson's prior threats or weapon purchase. Later search-warrant affidavits and body-worn camera video released by investigators disclosed the Sept. 1 death threats, the June purchase and Johnson's movements inside the building before he was killed.[4]
Minnesota Republican U.S. House members asked Attorney General Todd Blanche to review Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's decision not to charge Johnson after an earlier June incident.[5] Moriarty's office said a late-submitted file and a witness who said the gun never left Johnson's waistband led prosecutors to conclude they lacked evidence.[5] The office's extreme risk team also declined to seek a gun-removal order.[5]
Show source details & analysis (6 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The BCA has publicly identified the two residents killed as Dale Henry Spry, 63, and Muse A. Afrah, 61, both believed to have lived on the ninth floor of Shoreline Apartments — Dale Henry Spry.
- Investigators say Carlton Johnson II began shooting during a custody exchange with the mother of his child; the child escaped physically unharmed and the mother was hospitalized — Carlton Johnson II.
- Loring Towers management contacted police about a threatening email from Carlton Neal Johnson II roughly four hours before the Sept. 2 shooting, and MPD says an anonymous caller reported threats at about 12:41 p.m. coded as “Terroristic Threats” with no immediate follow-up before the shooting began around 4:36 p.m. — threatening email.
- Search-warrant affidavits say Johnson attempted to purchase a gun at a Richfield gun shop on June 4 and took possession on June 10 after a brief waiting period, and security staff reported that after obtaining the gun he began displaying it and threatening people in the building with complaints continuing up to Sept. 2 — Richfield gun shop.
- The assistant property manager filed a police report after Sept. 1 death threats tied to Johnson, eviction efforts were accelerated, and the night before the shooting Johnson told a building security guard to probably wear a bulletproof vest the next day — assistant property manager.
- Body-worn camera video and search warrants show Johnson retreating to his ninth-floor apartment after initial gunfire, then re-emerging with a gun and advancing on officers in the elevator lobby while firing; two officers were shot in an interior hallway exchange as officers returned fire and later found Johnson dead, and newly released 911 audio captures the mother of his child saying he shot her in the legs in front of their child — body-worn camera video.
- Minnesota GOP U.S. House members asked Attorney General Todd Blanche to review Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision not to charge Johnson after an earlier June incident; Moriarty’s office said a late-submitted file and a witness account that the gun never left Johnson’s waistband led prosecutors to conclude they lacked evidence, and the office’s red-flag team also declined to seek a gun order — Mary Moriarty.
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
October 06, 2026
9:46 PM
Loring Park gunman made chilling threat before Minneapolis mass shooting: search warrants
New information:
- Search warrants say that on Sept. 1 a tenant reported Carlton Johnson threatened to kill the assistant property manager and the mother of his child, prompting the eviction attorney to try to speed up his eviction.
- The assistant property manager filed a police report over those Sept. 1 death threats before the shooting.
- The night before the shooting, Johnson told a building security guard he should probably wear a bulletproof vest the following day "because you never know what could happen."
- Warrants detail that Johnson attempted to purchase a gun at a Richfield gun shop on June 4 and took possession on June 10 after a brief waiting period.
- Security staff reported that after obtaining the gun, Johnson began displaying it and threatening people in the building, with complaints continuing up to Sept. 2.
- Construction workers told investigators they overheard Johnson on the phone, angry about having to find new housing because of the eviction.
- Video shows Johnson pausing near the elevators after shooting two workers and apparently using his phone at the same time he placed a missed call to the sister of his child's mother.
September 16, 2026
11:45 PM
Minneapolis mass shooting: Bodycam footage, search warrants reveal new details
New information:
- Search-warrant affidavits say building security video shows Carlton Johnson II retreating to his 9th‑floor apartment after the initial gunfire, then re‑emerging with a gun, walking to the elevator lobby, and advancing on officers while firing before he was shot and killed.
- The new documents confirm that two officers were shot in that interior hallway exchange as they returned fire and then found Johnson dead on the floor.
- Newly released 911 audio captures one victim — the mother of Johnson’s child — calling from outside Loring Towers, identifying Johnson by name, saying he shot her in the legs in front of their child, and describing him as still in the building.
- Body-worn camera video (as described in the article) shows Johnson suddenly appearing from around a corner while one officer is looking down another hallway, another officer opening fire to cover him, Johnson retreating, and officers then locating a mortally wounded victim in the hallway amid heavy smoke.
September 15, 2026
4:08 PM
GOP delegation asks AG to review Moriarty decision before mass shooting
New information:
- Minnesota’s Republican U.S. House members Brad Finstad, Pete Stauber, and Michelle Fischbach have sent a formal letter asking Attorney General Todd Blanche to review Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision not to charge Carlton Johnson II in an earlier gun‑threat incident.
- The letter explicitly accuses Moriarty of failing to act after Johnson was arrested months before the Loring Park high‑rise shooting for allegedly threatening a neighbor and flashing a gun.
- The article lays out Moriarty’s public explanation of the declination: an experienced prosecutor reviewed the late‑submitted case file; a key witness said Johnson’s gun never left his waistband and admitted engaging in a physical fight, leading the office to conclude they lacked evidence to charge.
- Moriarty’s office forwarded the case to its extreme risk protection (red‑flag) team, which also declined to seek a gun order, partly because the incident was two months old and Johnson was not deemed an immediate risk.
- The piece notes there is no clear legal mechanism for the AG to punish a simple charging decision absent evidence of civil‑rights violations or other misconduct, drawing a comparison to a DOJ probe in Virginia that did allege such violations.
September 11, 2026
1:05 AM
Minneapolis mass shooting: Threats reported 4 hours before Loring Towers gunman opened fire
New information:
- Search warrants show Loring Towers management contacted MPD about a threatening email from Carlton Neal Johnson II roughly four hours before he opened fire.
- The email threat was tied to Johnson’s pending eviction after he allegedly threatened staff with a firearm in June.
- MPD says the Sept. 2 call came in at approximately 12:41 p.m. reporting that Johnson threatened to shoot a resident and others, and the report was coded as ‘Terroristic Threats’ and routed through the records system with no immediate action before the shooting began around 4:36 p.m.
- The caller who contacted MPD about the threat wanted to remain anonymous and was reporting on behalf of the person who had been threatened, according to MPD’s written statement.
September 05, 2026
12:00 AM
Family member of Minneapolis downtown apartment mass shooting victim speaks out
New information:
- BCA has publicly identified the two residents killed as Dale Henry Spry, 63, and Muse A. Afrah, 61, both believed to have lived on the ninth floor of Shoreline Apartments.
- Investigators say suspect Carlton Johnson II began shooting during a custody exchange with the mother of his child; the child escaped physically unharmed and the mother was hospitalized.
- Two building employees, including property manager 'Jan', were shot before Johnson moved to the ninth floor; Jan has undergone multiple surgeries and is in stable condition according to an online fundraiser.
- The article names the two officers shot as Minneapolis police officers Joseph Michnowski and Yahye Ahmed, and says all three injured officers are expected to make a full recovery.
- Family members describe victim Dale Spry as an Army veteran, jokester and peacekeeper; his nephew Kendall Coleman believes Spry would have tried to help the gunman rather than harm him and has launched a GoFundMe for funeral expenses and support for Spry’s children.
- BCA and family say there is currently no evidence Spry or the others were specifically targeted, though investigators are still examining motive and victim selection.
September 04, 2026