It's been a long summer for Minneapolis police and members of the outreach community in the city who are responding to what's been an increase in gun violence this summer.
Over the past two weeks, there were five homicides in Minneapolis plus an active shooter in an apartment building that ultimately was shot by officers. But it's been a scary situation for residents which Police Chief Brian O'Hara has recognized.
"We've had just a terrible amount of shootings and murders over the last week," he says. "We were hopeful that our city will get a break from some of this violence. It's been an exhausting week for everyone, for the community, for the members of the department involved."
Reverend Jerry McAfee heads up 21 Days of Peace, an organization designed to prevent violence. The group is a coalition of churches and community members dedicated to setting up camp at hot spots to help limit violent interactions.
McAfee has been at it for a long time. He says gun violence in the city is as bad now as he's seen in while. Part of the reason?
"One, we don't have as many people as we need," McAfee says, echoing the same issue law enforcement has faced.
It's been well-documented that the Minneapolis Police Department is short staffed. Recently, Chief O'Hara has made comments about a lack of investigators to follow-up on shootings. It's been increasingly difficult for the police department close cases and get them to the Attorney's Office for prosecution.
But, MaCafee says as well intentioned as Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is, it's not working.
"They're going to do insane things knowing they're going to just get a pat on the head and that's it," he explains.
McAfee also points out there are many outreach groups trying to help across the city, but he questions their motivations.
"Let's see what every group is supposed to be doing over North that's funded," Rev. McAfee explained. "I'm not talking about trying to take anybody's funding, but we want to make sure you're doing what you say you're going to do."
O'Hara has said recent violence across the city has been frustrating. McAfee says the frustration is there for him as well, but that he's also hopeful.
"If I stay too much in the frustration, it might create lethargy and a sense of hopelessness," he says.
Rev. Jerry McAfee also says Hennepin County Attorney needs to do more with criminals than "pat on the head"
