Minneapolis police have been working overtime shifts and watching hours of video surveillance on weekends, focusing on downtown, Dinkytown, and Uptown.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, officers spotted suspicious activity at 5th Street and Hennepin Avenue and quickly noticed several men exchanging words.

One man pulled a gun from the waist of his pants and started pistol-whipping someone as police monitored it on camera and then had officers calmly move in to make an arrest of the suspect, which kept everyone safe without any exchange of gunfire.

MPD Chief Brian O’Hara told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the video showed how well the department’s Late Night Safety Plan has been working in recent weeks.

“We actually do de-escalate and safely take people into custody under very dangerous situations far more often than not,” said O’Hara.  “The problem with guns downtown from people who shouldn’t have them continues to be a serious issue. Just like this person. He should’ve never had that gun in the first place.”

The Hennepin County Attorney has charged the suspect with several felonies, including illegal possession of a gun and assault.