Mayor Jacob Frey said “recklessness and callous disregard for the people of our city put a damper on an otherwise celebratory weekend.” Hundreds of people gathered Monday night at Boom Island Park and the Stone Arch Bridge as cars drove through the Mill District shooting fireworks at buildings and people. By the end of the night, at least 10 people had been injured in the violence. Minneapolis Police Department leaders said they didn’t know ahead of time what would happen, so officer staffing was at standard levels. Some neighbors who watched fireworks roar through downtown streets for hours said the city had no plan for the holiday. “It’s created quite a chaotic scene with fast and furious donuts on the road, cars going over 60mph,” said Mike, who lives near the Stone Arch Bridge. Bruce, another neighbor, said he hadn’t felt scared by crime in the city until Monday night. “[It] it was the first time I was like, ‘This is crazy and I could be going to a really bad place,’” he said. When police came to their neighborhood after several 911 calls from residents, they were unable to clear the groups in the street, which neighbors saw taunting officers. “You send [officers] where they’re just outnumbered by crowds, and that’s the concern,” Mike said. The number of active-duty officers in the MPD fell more than 150 short of the required minimum. about 80 officers were on duty Monday night, no more than a typical shift. “The Monday of a long weekend is not generally seen as the most resource intensive,” said Deputy Director Eric Force. Frey said officers were dealing with more than 1,300 911 calls from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. This is the volume of a typical day. Hundreds of people gathered at several locations, including Boom Island Park, where seven people were shot. “One of the main ways we can minimize these incidents is to look at ways to block access to these areas for people to congregate after hours,” Huffman said. At least two more were shot elsewhere in the city. Police reported one arrest overnight, when an officer was assaulted and slightly injured. City Council member Michael Rainville, who represents the neighborhood near the Stone Arch Bridge, told WCCO he believes the city should seek help from the National Guard since the MPD is not fully staffed. A spokesperson for Mayor Frey says they won’t do that at this time, but the city welcomes help and support from other law enforcement agencies. Frey says everyone in the city has a responsibility to improve safety, including city leadership, MPD and people in the community. “If you are parents of children who have been outside [Monday night] you have to know where they are,” Frey said. “If you have friends who have engaged in any of this appalling behavior, you need to come clean to them.” Frey says a commissioner for the Office of Community Safety will be brought in next week. David Schuman David joined the WCCO team in April 2020, previously working at CBS 58 in Milwaukee. Before that, he worked in Las Vegas. While there, David covered many stories in the national spotlight, including the October 1st mass shooting and political visits by President Barack Obama and candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
