Minneapolis homicides and shootings up 64% compared to last four years

By August, 49 homicides had occurred in 2020, surpassing the number of homicides in all of 2019. By mid-November, the number of homicides was up to 74, which is the third-highest total in the city’s history. Additionally, nearly 500 people have been shot in Minneapolis this year.

“This is one of the most painful years I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve been in Minneapolis all of my life,” said Cam Gordon, City Council member for Ward 2, in August. “I think the number of guns, the number of shootings, it’s very concerning. It’s sad.”

In June, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to dismantle the Police Department in favor of a “Department of Community Safety.” More than 100 police officers have left the city’s force amid the anti-police sentiment this summer sparked by protests against perceived police brutality.

Last week, the City Council voted to approve a plan to bring in outside police officers to cope with the increase in violence.

The plan opens up $500,000 to contract with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Transit Police to work with additional officers. Metro Transit Police, however, said the department does “not have capacity to provide additional resources to the Minneapolis Police Department.”

Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson said logistics will need to be worked out for his team to assist the city but that he’s open to the plan.

“We have to have some sort of agreement. There’s so much stuff to happen before we can commit,” he said. “But again, I’m open to helping anybody within the county, any agency that needs help.”

Residents of Minneapolis sued the City Council for a lack of police presence earlier this year.

“We are here. We stand together in unison to say enough is really enough,” community activist Cathy Spann said during a press conference in October. “I am here today to say it is about all of us coming together to make a difference to stop the gun violence that is in our city — downtown, south, north. We are stopping it. We are no longer asking for a plan. We are the plan.”