Ellison: 'Now Is A Time For Minneapolis Metro Area To Come Together'

Following the Thursday shootings at a Minneapolis business that left five dead, including the shooter, and others critically injured, Congressman Keith Ellison expressed his sadness in a statement Friday.

"I am deeply saddened by last night's deadly shooting at Accent Signage in Minneapolis, and my thoughts are with the families of those lost," he said. "Now is a time for the Minneapolis metropolitan community to come together in mourning and solidarity."

Accent Signage Systems is a small interior signage company that specializes in American with Disabilities Act-compliant signs after developing a patented method to create Braille signs.

"Accent has been a model for export practices in Minneapolis," Ellison said. "Just a few weeks ago, I visited the business with Mayor Rybak and was able to see their success firsthand."

In an MPR article, Rybak said: "I think the tour was supposed to be a half-hour. It was easily an hour and half because he got so excited about every detail, and rightfully, of this great business. It's a phenomenal place ... I just want us all to surround everyone we know from that company with as much support as we can. You know they're going to need it."

A variety of departments assisted Minneapolis Police officers including the Hennepin County Sheriff officers, Brooklyn Park Police Department and SWAT officers. Richfield Police were not among those departments at the scene.

For more coverage of the shooting, see Patch's article The article will updated with story links from around Minnesota Patch as more information becomes available.