Gangs of North Minneapolis

Friday night, February 27th, 17 year old Alisha Neeley caught what police believe was a stray bullet in the neck while standing outside a party, later pronounced dead at North Memorial.  Gunfire was heard near that location the next night, one said Sunday as well.  No suspects have been identified or arrested to date in what is almost certainly some form of gang violence.

Wednesday night, March 3rd, Rev. Efrem Smith of Sanctuary Covenant Church led a prayer walk to the site of the killing where a utility pole has become a decorated marker and memorial to Alisha.  I was one of what I would guess was between 100 and 150 people.  You may have seen her sister Helena's tearful, moving plea for this violence to end.  "My sister died in vain if this does not stop," she said.  Alisha was the tenth homicide victim this year.  There were 19 all of last year.

Today, Saturday, March 6th, Alisha's funeral was held about noon.  But at the end, a fight broke out, presumably another gang incident, not to mention a pair picked up passing a gun at the scene.  I saw the aftermath from the bus I took downtown this afternoon. 

It all seems different now.  Maybe it's the economy.  Maybe it's the collapse of the gang task force.  Maybe the gangs feel more bold with the Minneapolis police budget being cut, for purely political reasons I will add.  But whatever it is, Mayor Rybak, who was at the prayer walk, needs to respond.  He might start by keeping some of his previous promises.

The money to increase the police presence or whatever it takes obviously exists in a $ 1.3 billion budget, given that the police only account for about 10 percent of that.  If the rules "siloing" funds are too tight, call Speaker Kelliher and get those rules relaxed.  But respond, damn it, respond, before we lose another like Alisha.

Comments

[Margaret]

I don't think it's any of these things. Gang violence is cyclical. We've been in a lull due to upheaval in the housing market, the weather and a campaign which focused specifically on juvenile crime enforcement. It always comes back when the factors are back.

[The Big Stink]

Gang violence is only cyclical when the next generation adopts it. Instead of being proactive, the city has, for political reasons, taken a reactive posture. Expect more dysfunction. The inner cities in our country have a daunting future. The most devious social planner could not have concocted a better way to destroy the black family than the modern welfare state.

[Give2Attain]

Well here is the graph, any thoughts triggered regarding the causes of variation? Other than random occurence.

Maybe recessions increase the number? Or was something else happening in 1995.

[Give2Attain]

Oops.... I forgot the links...

http://www.citypages.com/2010-01-27/news/minneapolis-homicides-murderopolis-redux&page=1

[Margaret]

Stink, I agree with what you say but the upswings and downswings have more to do with the root causes feeding the gangs. I used to live next door to a retired Mpls cop. He said that they go through proactive cycles, doing the knock and talks and getting juveniles off the street at night. The minute they let up (this stuff is all contingent on vast amounts of overtime) they were back shooting at eachother. I also think the foreclosures disrupted a lot of gang violence because the bangers had to lay their head somewhere, usually with a relative. Only crackheads will squat in a vacant house.