Posted on 07/14/2015 7:49:57 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo
Minneapolis is in the midst of a summertime spike in shootings. There were 26 shootings in the two-week period ending on July 13, the highest total since at least 2011.
The majority the shootings have taken place in north Minneapolis, but there have also been two in south Minneapolis, and five in downtown.
Barb Johnson, the city council president, called the spike in shootings "disgusting," while Mayor Betsy Hodges is calling the trend "unacceptable."
KSTP’s Stephen Tellier talked to city leaders and shares what they are doing to stop gun violence, at 10 p.m. on 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
It is a troubling, typical sight: A few flowers, and a sign that reads, "R.I.P." It sits near the intersection of 36th and Lyndale in north Minneapolis, where a man was gunned down on Friday night.
But it's what is written on the other side of the sign that is perhaps most disturbing: "Don't Kill Us." It is a simple, potent plea, epitomizing a persistent problem.
"You don't have to kill somebody or take their life just to prove a point, or to get justice, or to get back at somebody," said Ashley Daher, a lifelong resident of north Minneapolis.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS analyzed the Minneapolis Police Department's weekly shooting reports, produced by the department's Crime Analysis Unit, dating back to the beginning of 2012. That data shows that the city never saw more than 11 shootings in a single week until June 30 of this year. Since then, there have been 13 shootings two weeks in a row.
"I think it's ridiculous, and that people need to figure out something better to do with their time, and everybody's life does matter," Daher said. "It feels a lot worse than what it has been in the past. I mean, growing up, I could ride my bike up and down the street. Now, I don't even want my child going up and down the street without an adult or somebody there with her."
The Minneapolis Police Department issued the following statement regarding the spike in shootings:
As with any crime trend, there are always a number of factors that come into play. There is not one single factor or reason. The Minneapolis Police Department analyzes and tracks trends and patterns as they arise. Through regular analysis, Precinct Inspectors and Investigative Division Commanders allocate appropriate resources in an attempt to anticipate and prevent future acts of violence. The MPD also continues to build community networks through positive community contacts to both help solve and prevent crimes.
Many residents hope that means soon, there will be fewer such crimes.
"Our children ain't going to learn nothing from growing up like this," Daher said.
Johnson said she is deeply disturbed by the recent violence, and is soon planning to sit down with the county and U.S. attorneys to figure out how to reverse the trend. She said she also believes much of the violence is gang-related, with some of the shootings serving as retaliation.
Mayor Betsy Hodges provided the following statement:
Public safety and justice are, and must be, the cornerstone of our city. The unacceptable spate of gun violence that Minneapolis has experienced recently, particularly downtown, on the Northside, and in some areas of South Minneapolis, concerns me greatly. The Police Department is aggressively pursuing offenders while we expand community policing, especially in violent-crime hotspots. We are also continuing our efforts to prevent violence before it starts, including our multi-sector, proactive approach to preventing youth violence. As Mayor, I will continue to work to make sure that Minneapolis is safe for everyone who lives, works, and visits here.
MPD data also shows that the number of shootings so far in 2015 has not spiked significantly when compared to the same period of 2014. There were 142 shootings in Minneapolis through July 14 of last year, while there have been 145 shootings across the city through July 13 of this year.
No mention of how many of these shootings were a part of the "Wild West" atmosphere that was created by the MCPPA (Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act) of 2003.
North Minneapolis, South Minneapolis and Downtown Minneapolis.
Three places I don't go.
“”Our children ain’t going to learn nothing from growing up like this,” Daher said.”
Well, that’s a surprise, their elders didn’t “learn nothing” either. They won’t learn until they want to, think it’s a good thing. I don’t see that happening.
Amish drive by shootings?
Yeah, that one jumped out at me, too.
Driving, as well as walking, strolling, clubbing...
That city is liberal, is it not?
QED
How? What are they doing? Are they out there spinning like dervishes, trying valiantly to catch the bullets as they fly, like The Fantastic Four?
Minneapolis, along with Saint Paul.
Sanctuary Cities.
My brother lives in North Minneapolis. I worry about him.
Not so much.
I imagine that they are cowering behind their lesbian police chief, waiting for the return of the Minnesota National Guard and the State Police to mop up the neighborhoods.
You know, you can hardly blame the police for the less aggressive work. The crime rate will drop...eventually, as these things will take care of themselves. Unfortunately, there will be “collateral damage”, a concept liberals are very familiar with.
”Our children ain’t going to learn nothing from growing up like this,” Daher said.”
Survival skills are definitely worth learning these days. This might be worth more than listening to liberal garbage from idiot teachers.
Somaliapolis
Just guessing, these parts of town are the hoods?
“The crime rate will drop...eventually”
Yep. This is Minnesota.
Shortly, it will be snowing.
;-)
Good guess.
We had four just tonight in St. Louis and that is the ones that got reported.
What people don’t know is that there are shootings that happen that never get reported on.
too many confederate flags being flown is the obvious culprit.
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