Electric Fetus hit by tornado

A powerful thunderstorm that reportedly included a tornado touchdown near downtown Minneapolis earlier this afternoon has damaged the building housing local record store Electric Fetus. A Twitter update sent out by the Fetus around 2:20 p.m. reported laconically "Ok, apparently @efetusmpls was hit by a tornado. We are dealing with it now. No one was hurt." A minute later, the store sent another update stating, "FETUS IS CLOSED."

Stacy Schwartz, an A.V. Club freelance photographer who also works at the store and was in the building when it was hit, tweeted, "Straight line wind just blew in 2 large windows @efetusmpls, roof caved in on back side, brick everywhere. Fire trucks are here now." She and other employees were evacuated from the building shortly afterward.

Around 3 p.m., the Fetus tweeted "Store is mostly ok btw. Window damage & damage to outer bldg. A few cars hurt & fence down."

Damage to buildings and trees in the area near 35th and Portland in south Minneapolis, including the Minneapolis Convention Center and Central Lutheran Church, was also reported by local TV stations and the Star Tribune.

Update: Photos of the damage to the building exterior and surrounding neighborhood.