Violent Crime Soared in Minneapolis in 2020
Minneapolis became a significantly more violent and dangerous place to visit and live in 2020. The spike in violent crime in the preliminary 2020 crime statistics can hardly be overstated. It confirms what too many victims and residents already know from personal experience or live in fear of on a daily basis, namely, that they stand a greater chance than ever of becoming one of those statistics.
The numbers from the Minneapolis Police Department show a huge spike in many violent crimes with homicides up from 48 to 82 last year (+70 percent), gunshot wound victims doubling from 269 to 551 (+105 percent) and carjackings rising from 101 to 405 (+300 percent) compared to 2019.
The MN CRIME Facebook page routinely reports incidents like this.
–A 72-year-old man is in critical condition after being shot in a possible robbery attempt on the 2900 block of Franklin Ave. E. around 7:30 a.m. today. Dispatch audio indicated the victim may have been arriving at work right before the shooting took place.
–A series of assaults on the south side this afternoon – a male suspect reportedly crashed into victims’ vehicles and assaulted them when they got out.…One of the victims of this suspect’s previous assaults said they suffered a broken tooth, one said he spit on them, and he may have used a mini sledgehammer to break out car windows. A shovel was also found inside the suspect’s vehicle. Damage in one incident was estimated at more than $1,000.
A MPD update titled “Review of Crime Trends, Statistics, and Strategies in Response to Emerging Patterns” dated January 21 touches on some of the troubling trends. For example:
Robbery of Business: 2020 saw a shift in to Lake St W, along Hennepin Ave N of Lake St and extending to business corridors in North MPLS, Northeast, and southeast that have not previously seen these trends and micro hotspots.
Demographics of Shooting Victims: 86% Male and 14% Female/81% Black/10% White (includes Hispanic based on RMS Methodology)/4% Native American
Even theft of motor vehicle parts soared 660 percent with catalytic converters increasingly targeted in a category that went from 248 incidents in 2019 to 1,887 thefts in 2020.
Unfortunately 2021 has started out bloodier than ever with 21 shooting victims already versus 6 at the same time last year. Nevertheless, the MPD will have $8 million less to contain crime this year as a result of the continuing effort by the Minneapolis City Council to defund the police.
Yet Minneapolis residents can take heart knowing the city’s new Office of Violence Prevention expects to begin taking applications next month “with anticipation that funded agencies’ work will start in May and community rollout of 6 teams will start in June.”