There was fear, and anger, but also calls for unity and accountability during Monday night's gun violence community meeting in Edina.
Edina Police Chief Todd Milburn outlined a timeline of the response to local gun violence during a community gathering amid calls for more accountability.
Milburn addressed a packed City Hall detailing all of the incidents that have led up to the most recent shooting on September 22 at Our Lady of Grace Church, where police recovered 55 spent cartridge casings.
That includes multiple incidents in April, May, and July in surrounding cities, with many being tied to Somali gangs. That includes a shooting during nearby Eden Prairie's homecoming football game against Minnetonka this past Friday.
Milburn says despite the lack of arrests, police are working hard to hold those involved accountable.
"These groups are highly mobile and their disputes can escalate quickly, at times resorting to gunfire," Milburn said. "It's important though, to recognize that these groups are not representative of the broader Somali community. Our approach is to investigate these cases thoroughly, hold offenders accountable."
Community members at the meeting responded with anxiety and frustration.
Milburn says uncooperative witnesses remain one of their biggest issues.
During the meeting, Edina Mayor Jim Hovland made it clear that the city will not tolerate ongoing gun violence while stressing that the issue isn't about race, despite the ties to Somali gangs.
"If someone fires a gun at another person in our community, that conduct is criminal and unacceptable and will be punished," Hovland explains. "It is unacceptable regardless of who the person is, where his or her family came from, what language he or she speaks, or what community he or she belongs to. Our responsibility is to find the people responsible for this activity and hold them accountable under the law."
Residents responded with frustration, and pushback over the current local safety strategy, demanding more answers and arrests.
Some residents also expressed concern for protecting and supporting their Somali neighbors.
Another public feedback session is scheduled during Tuesday nights Edina City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
