EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – Two people were shot outside Eden Prairie High School’s football stadium Friday night during the school’s homecoming game against Minnetonka, prompting a major response from police and district officials. Eden Prairie police said the shooting happened outside Aerie Stadium, on the north side of the high school, at about 8:40 p.m.
Both victims were taken to Hennepin Healthcare with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. Police said the attack is believed to have been targeted. No arrests had been made as of Friday night, and investigators continued working to determine what led to the gunfire.
Police say the shooting happened near Aerie Stadium as the game was underway
Officers responded after shots were reported outside the stadium while fans were gathered for the homecoming matchup. At the time, Eden Prairie was leading Minnetonka 21-14 early in the fourth quarter.
The game stopped after the shooting, and district officials later said it would resume Monday. The incident turned a homecoming night into an emergency response, with law enforcement moving quickly to secure the area and account for people inside and outside the building.
Police have not publicly identified the shooters or said what evidence led them to believe the attack was targeted. The investigation remained active after the stadium was cleared.
District officials evacuated fans and directed families to Round Lake Park
Eden Prairie Schools first told families to evacuate homecoming and directed visitors to Round Lake Park for reunification. The district later instructed people to exit through the baseball diamonds or go to the park if they needed to be picked up.
Players, marching band members and families were sent to a pavilion at the park to reunite. The district said it was working with Eden Prairie police, the Eden Prairie Fire Department and Hennepin County EMS to keep the area secure and help manage the evacuation.
By 9:52 p.m., district officials said police had confirmed there was no active threat in the area. People inside the high school had been placed on a hold before being directed out through the south doors at 9:55 p.m.
Neither victim was a student at Eden Prairie or Minnetonka schools
Police said neither person shot was a student at Eden Prairie or Minnetonka schools. That detail helped district leaders reassure families that the victims were not part of the competing school communities.
Eden Prairie Schools said in a Facebook post that the situation was frightening for everyone involved and that many questions could not yet be answered. The district thanked staff, law enforcement and attendees for their quick response.
Officials also said they would not speculate about who was involved or what led to the shooting until police confirmed those details. The district’s response focused on safety, reunification and limiting confusion while investigators sorted out the scene.
The game was paused and the district said it would resume Monday
The football game did not finish Friday night. After the shooting and evacuation, officials said the matchup would resume Monday, though the exact time was not included in the notice.
For families and students, the night shifted from a school celebration to a coordinated emergency response. Police, fire crews and EMS stayed involved as the district moved people out safely and checked the area for any further risk.
The reopening of the game was one of the few immediate next steps announced publicly. The larger question of who fired the shots, and why, remained unanswered as the criminal investigation continued.
State officials say they are helping local investigators find those responsible
Gov. Tim Walz said late Friday that state officials were assisting local authorities in finding the people responsible for the shooting. In a post on X, he said no homecoming in any community should be disrupted by gun violence.
Walz added that Minnesotans were keeping students and families in their thoughts that night. His comments came after the district had already worked to clear the stadium and reunite attendees at Round Lake Park.
The shooting drew attention beyond the school district because of the setting: a homecoming football game with students, staff and families nearby. Even so, police said the victims were not students in either district, and the case remained focused on identifying the shooter or shooters and understanding the motive.
