Burnsville High School graduation shooting: No injuries, 4 in custody

Violent graduation season in Twin Cities

The Twin Cities is seeing some violence break out at graduation ceremonies, most recently with a shooting during a ceremony in Burnsville. FOX 9's Babs Santos has the latest.

BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Multiple fights broke out and police responded to reports of gunfire near Burnsville High School shortly after the graduation ceremony on Friday night.

Shooting outside Burnsville High School graduation

What we know:

Around 8:30 p.m. Friday, approximately 30 minutes after the end of the graduation ceremony, police responded to "multiple altercations" just west of Burnsville High School. 

Officers already at the school for the graduation ceremony heard gunshots and immediately responded. They were joined by officers from several other agencies. 

No injuries were reported. Four people were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

School officials say the four who were taken into custody are not students in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district. 

What we don't know:

Law enforcement has not said whether the four people taken into custody were students or connected to the graduation.

Authorities have not shared how many people were involved or what led up to the altercations, but the investigation is ongoing.

School's response

What they're saying:

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Theresa Battle sent the following message to the district:

"We’re deeply saddened that this took place following what had been a joyous celebration with our graduates and their families. We’re grateful that no one was injured and for the immediate response of Burnsville Police and other law enforcement agencies to the scene," the message read. "We will continue to work closely with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds, and we will share information with the One91 community as it becomes available."

Recent violence at high school graduations

Big picture view:

High school graduation season in Minnesota has seen multiple violent incidents so far this year. 

May 30, Wayzata graduation: Two people were shot outside the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at Mariucci Arena at the University of Minnesota. A 49-year-old man, the father of a Wayzata student, suffered a gunshot wound to the head. A second victim, a 19-year-old man, suffered a gunshot wound to his right leg.

Both victims have been released from the hospital. 

Hamza Abdirashid Said, 20, of Coon Rapids, is charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and possessing/operating a machine gun in those shootings.

May 31 St. Cloud Tech graduation: Just after 12:30 p.m. on May 31, a group of people at the graduation were near the exit of the River's Edge Convention Center when a fight broke out, St. Cloud police said. 

Police say that social media video captured the brawl, and authorities were able to identify several people involved.  No injuries were reported in the fight, and police say no weapons were used in the altercation. 

A video, posted to TikTok, shows multiple people fighting reach other during the graduation as staff and others try to break them up.