Minneapolis, MN – Sixteen people were arrested in Minneapolis on the 4th of July for shooting fireworks at other people, police officers, police vehicles, and reporters who were trying to cover the mayhem.

Dawn Sommers, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, said there were reported fireworks attacks from 11:30 p.m. on July 4 until 2:40 a.m. on July 5, Bring Me The News reported.

They occurred near Lake Bde Maka Ska, Columbia Park, Minnehaha Falls, Boom Island, and other areas around the city, according to Sommers.

Terrifying footage showed groups of teenagers, some of whom identified themselves as Somali in the videos, shooting mortars, Roman candles, and other fireworks directly at people and vehicles, KARE reported.

“The targeting of innocent people with fireworks is unlawful, dangerous, and wholly unacceptable,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

Last night a group of young Somali’s attacked the police using fireworks.

This wasn’t in some faraway European social experiment like France, this was right here in Minneapolis, Minnesota.pic.twitter.com/CEeW8Mque8

— Jason Jones (@jonesville) July 5, 2023

Chief O’Hara said that there were no serious injuries from any of the attacks, KARE reported.

https://twitter.com/RebsBrannon/status/1676541684962787328?s=20

Photojournalist Rebecca Brannon posted video from the chaotic scene and said that she had been targeted during the night.

“You can hear it as fireworks were going off everywhere – it was just impossible to film it all especially without being targeted myself – groups had spread out a few blocks which is what made it difficult for police to initially contain,” Brannon commented on her video.

“To my right, behind the warehouses and directly behind me near the park entrance vehicles were shot at though the intersection for almost an hour before Police completely cleared the area,” she continued. “The groups dispersed and then went on to Lake Nokomis and Minnehaha.”

https://twitter.com/RebsBrannon/status/1676551090274181121?s=20

A photographer from local TV station WCCO also had a close call.

CLOSE CALL: Only a bike lane separated Photographer @n00bphotog from a huge firework that went off as he was interviewing this person about the #FourthofJuly chaos overnight near Boom Island. He says he is ok but that was too close for comfort. MORE @WCCO https://t.co/KJEfDzRMw6 pic.twitter.com/0WMRM6U3zd

— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) July 5, 2023

Chief O’Hara said the biggest and most dangerous situations occurred at Lake Bde Maka Ska, Bring Me The News reported.

The police chief said more than 100 people were gathered and numerous fireworks were shot directly at an occupied Minneapolis police car.

Minneapolis police arrested 16 people in connection with the illegal fireworks, KARE reported.

Eleven of them were juveniles, according to Chief O’Hara.

He said one of the juveniles shooting fireworks near Boom Island Park injured themselves, KARE reported.

Park police officers responded the Plymouth Island Bridge area near Boom Island Park at about 11:30 p.m. for a report of “a group of 40-50 teens and young adults shooting fireworks and targeting people and officers.”

Minnesota State Patrol and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted Minneapolis police in trying to maintain safety in the city during the chaos.