Ongoing violence in Minneapolis demonstrates a lack of control – a situation stubbornly ignored by many

Despite efforts by some city leaders, residents, and media to downplay crime in Minneapolis, the amount of lawlessness and violence over the 2023 Memorial Day weekend tells a different story.

Minneapolis is not under control and hasn’t been for several years now. The Twitter feed for CrimeWatchMpls does an excellent job of documenting criminal activity.

You won’t find most of this activity reported by the mainstream media, and as an unfortunate result, many continue to be in denial about the depths our signature city has sunk. 

Excuses of civil unrest or the pandemic are growing stale. Minneapolis needs to gain control of the lawlessness and do it soon, or the climb back will be insurmountable.

Here is a partial list of the crime occurring in Minneapolis over the holiday weekend, as documented by CrimeWatchMpls:

  • Shotspotter 5 rounds. 7xx 30th Ave N
  • Report of an overdose at the Metro Transit Riverside LRT station. #CedarRiverside 613 15th Ave S
  • Shooting. One with multiple GSW including to the head. Police on site. CPR in progress. 37xx Bryant Ave N.  Later confirmed a murder.
  • at #MplsDowntown Target, a female is stabbed in the face. 8th to 9th and Nicollet Mall.
  • Report of shots near Franklin and Pleasant. A follower reports hearing shots at 22nd and Nicollet.
  • Elan Uptown Luxury Apt problems. Report of a large party, about 100 people, and a bouncer collecting money to get in. One 911 caller said they heard a shot. 2837 Emerson Ave S – two later reported shot
  • Juvenile struck by a vehicle, possibly a black Kia, blacked out southbound on Penn from Plymouth Ave N. 17th and Penn Ave N
  • UPDATE on this one: He was not struck by a vehicle. The kid “flew off the top of a stolen car he was riding on.”
  • Purse snatch from an older, handicapped female at 5th and Hennepin Ave. Suspect: WM in blue #MplsDowntown
  • Follow up on the double shooting at Elan Uptown Luxury Apts on Saturday night where there was reported to be a “huge Lows party” (gang members) and automatic gunfire. We’re told by a resident that their apartment was shot up, and Elan has not addressed the incident nor the ongoing security problems.
  • Reports of car prowlers in #MplsDowntown in the area of W River Pkwy.
  • Shotspotter activation 3 rounds 40xx Girard Ave N
  • Police reported shots fired at/near the Gay 90/Augie’s/Brass Rail in #MplsDowntown. No victim at the time. Suspect on camera: BM, muscular, white pants, white hat, white shoes, white t-shirt and green jersey with “34.” Not apprehended at the time.
  • Report of shots near Franklin and Pleasant. A follower reports hearing shots at 22nd and Nicollet.
  • Report of a large fight at the Stone Arch Bridge, reportedly 20 involved. #NEMPLS
  • Gunshot victim showed up at Abbott Hospital. There had been a prior report of shots fired at 8xx E Franklin Ave outside the deli. Police were at the location checking for a scene.
  • Shotspotter 6 rounds 10xx 25th Ave N
  • Report of shots heard at Logan Park 680 13th Ave NE
  • Group trying to break into vehicles. Neighbors are scaring them away Near Burnham and Cedar Lake Pkwy
  • Juveniles in ski masks hanging out windows of a red Kia. Lowry Ave N and Lyndale Ave N
  • Package thefts in progress. 31xx Oakland Ave Suspect: BM, 40s, on a bike
  • Report of a stabbing during a fight. Reportedly two victims. 15xx 11th Ave S, #MplsDowntown
  • Squads being surrounded on #MplsDowntown 5th and Hennepin Ave Warehouse District Live
  • Robbery of person. Female victim has a head injury. Loss: purse SE 2nd St and 5th Ave SE
  • Robbery of person 16xx 2nd St NE Three BM suspects with bandana over their faces.
  • Report of assault at Minnehaha Park on the bridge near the Veterans home. Suspect: WM, 20s, orange shirt, black pants
  • Report of an overdose inside a vehicle in #Dinkytown. UMPD on site. 4xx 13th Ave SE
  • Another robbery of person. 43rd and Lyndale Ave S Suspects in a maroon vehicle.
  • Robbery of person. 5 to 6 juveniles jumped out of a red sedan and on top of the 911 callers neighbor and tried to take her purse. 33rd and Harriet Ave
  • Lyft driver was carjacked and hit in the head with a gun near Glenwood and Morgan Ave N. Loss: 2019 Lincoln MKT SUV, plate FAM408 The victim said he picked up the 3 BM suspects near 26th and 3rd St N and drove them to the location where the robbery occurred.
  • Police in #MplsDowntown report hearing shots at 1st Ave N and 5th St. No victims yet. Suspect: Tall BM, tan shirt untucked with a pattern, black pants, black hat, south on Hennepin from 5th. #MplsDowntown Warehouse District Live.
  • Overdose at the Metro Transit Nicollet LRT station.
  • A security guard was knocked out, requesting bike patrols to the area. #MplsDowntown Warehouse District Live. 4xx Hennepin Ave Suspect: BM, white hat, blue shirt
  • Report of a party unconscious on the sidewalk from assault. 6xx Washington Ave N #NorthLoop
  • Shotspotter activation 5 rounds. 21xx Elliot Ave
  • Report of assault of a Lyft driver at 3rd Ave S and S 9th St. #MplsDowntown
  • Damage to property. Report of a male breaking out vehicle windows. 21xx 44th Ave N / Penn Suspect in a black sedan
  • Report of shots being fired at another vehicle in the area of 14th and Oliver Ave N.
  • The Minneapolis Fire Dept reports 150 to 200 youths racing cars racing on Lyndale Ave N near Glenwood. E 16 is responding to one in seizure on Glenwood.
  • Report of robbery of person by a group. 26th and James Ave N
  • Attempted carjacking. Juvenile, 5ft4, pointed a gun. Black hooded sweatshirt, mask. 21st Ave N and Washington Ave N
  • Three males breaking a vehicle’s windows. Now trying to hotwire it. 15xx LaSalle Ave Suspects: WM black hoodie, WM maroon hoodie, another in black
  • Carjacking at gunpoint. 18xx 14th Ave S.  Three masked BM, all with guns
  • Shotspotter activation 5 rounds indicating a moving shooter. 48xx Camden Ave N
  • Overdose at the Metro Transit Target Field station. 335 N 5th St
  • Report of an overdose outside Cub Foods #UptownMpls. 1104 Lagoon Ave
  • Overdose at the Metro Transit Lake St/35W transit tower.
  • Somebody threw a brick through the window at the Schooner Tavern. 2901 27th Ave S
  • After midnight, a 48 yr old male pedestrian was struck in a hit and run in #MplsDowntown. Suspect vehicle is a blue or green Tahoe driven by a BM with dreads in a bun and red shoes.

Most telling about these incidents are the comments by some Minneapolis residents found in the threads. 

“I would move out tomorrow if I could. I have been traumatized living here and it’s ridiculous.”  Uptown resident

“It’s sad.  I bought my childhood house and sadly can’t wait to sell it.”  University Ave, N.E. resident

“We haven’t been able to relax one moment and are sleeping on the floor far below windows….we will be getting out of here as soon as possible.”  Uptown resident

It is in this atmosphere of mayhem that Minneapolis officials have moved forward with holding a summer-long series of weekend block parties called “Warehouse District Live.”

The plan calls for blocking off 1st Ave between 5th and 6th Streets for pedestrian gatherings each Friday and Saturday night from June through October. The plan is a real gamble given the lack of control Minneapolis officials have over the city. While we should all support Minneapolis’s future and its wellbeing, planning this series of events seems to be stubbornly ignoring the obvious: Minneapolis isn’t yet able to provide for the safety of those who would venture there, and those who will take advantage of the lack of control know it.

One significant incident at these events will set Minneapolis back even further — and it seems more likely than not that something significant will happen.

Until Minneapolis can properly staff its police department and commit to supporting the department in aggressively responding to lawlessness, efforts to attract crowds to the city will unfortunately remain a gamble.