Shootings spark fears of spring uptick

A deadly stretch of violence in south Minneapolis has left community members shaken after three shootings in just a few days, including one that killed a man.

“I’m fed up with this,” said Quincy Greer.

The most recent shooting happened overnight near East Franklin Avenue and Chicago Avenue. A resident who lives nearby said the violence is taking a toll.

“It just needs to stop,” said Sandra Boswell.

Earlier in the week, another man was shot on East Franklin Avenue and South Second Avenue.

Days before that, four teenagers were shot outside a Popeyes restaurant on West Lake Street.

“Three back-to-back shootings. I did say, ‘Whoa, it’s happening,’” said Muhammad Abdul‑Ahad.

Abdul‑Ahad is the executive director of Touch Outreach, a violence interruption organization that has a contract with the City of Minneapolis. He said the issues behind the violence are longstanding.

“The first thing I would say is just the access to guns that’s coming into these communities,” Abdul‑Ahad said.

He added that the root causes run deeper than any single incident.

“We have to look at this holistically and say we need to focus on the root cause. Now what is it? Some of it is addiction. Some of it is mental health,” said Abdul‑Ahad.

He said this time of year often brings an increase in violence as more people spend time outside.

“Around this time of year, that’s when you start to notice there being an uptick. Historically, end of March, beginning of April, we call this trauma season,” he said. “A lot of people are starting to hang out outside a little bit more,” said Abdul‑Ahad.

According to the Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) crime data, there have been 38 gunshot‑wound victims so far this year — 10 fewer than this time last year.

However, violent crimes are up 6% compared to this time last year.

Community members said the impact goes far beyond the numbers.

“We got to stop the violence in Minneapolis, the random violence and killings,” Boswell said.

“We need to quit the violence, increase the peace and stop it. It’s madness,” Greer said.

KSTP asked MPD whether patrols will increase, whether the shootings are connected, and whether the department believes this marks the start of a more violent period. We are waiting for a response to those answers.

Abdul‑Ahad says teens are traumatized 

Abdul‑Ahad said he has been working directly with several of the families affected by the shooting that injured four teenagers outside the Popeyes on West Lake Street. He said the teens are now out of the hospital.

“They’re at home recovering,” he said.

He said the teens’ injuries varied.

“Two of them were kind of flesh wounds, the other two kind of graze,” Abdul‑Ahad said.

“None of them are significantly injured by the bullet.”

But he emphasized that the emotional impact is far more serious.

“Just imagine the traumatic effect,” he said. “We need systems in place that really cater to those survivors. What are the wraparound services we’re offering after something like that happens?”

Abdul‑Ahad said the teens and their families are afraid and trying to process what happened.

“I know for a fact that some of them are trying to rethink a lot of things they have done in their life. They’ve never been in this situation,” he said.

He also said the teens involved are coming into Minneapolis from surrounding suburbs.

“These kids came from like Burnsville and Rosemount,” he said. “I’m pretty sure the accessibility to firearms out there is much different than it is here in the city of Minneapolis.”

He said some teens travel into the city because they know guns are easier to obtain — including the suspected shooter.