Gun violence in Minneapolis declines for second month

Gun violence was down over the past month in Minneapolis compared with the same period last year, city officials said Thursday.

Data released from the second 28-day cycle of Operation Endeavor, the multijurisdictional campaign to reduce violent crime in Minneapolis, showed improvements from this time in 2021 in terms of gun crimes and robberies, including carjackings.

From Oct. 25 to Nov. 21, gun-related calls for service fell 44% compared with the same period last year, according to the data. In addition, there was an 18% reduction in people shot and a 67% drop in carjackings.

ShotSpotter activations dropped 47% when compared with the same period in 2021, according to the report.

"Are we there yet? The answer is absolutely not. But we are trending in the right direction," Mayor Jacob Frey said.

"We have a whole lot of people throughout our city to thankful for because it is our police officers working directly with our community members to suss out some of this violence before it takes place."

Operation Endeavor concentrates police resources in areas of the city using data analysis on citywide calls for service.

Also during the 28-day period, the Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and other law enforcement agencies recovered 76 guns, $22,500 in cash and 10,331 fentanyl pills, according to the city's report.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has a prosecutor embedded with Operation Endeavor. During this period, 67 cases were presented, leading to 53 charges.

Violence Interrupters teams with the city's Department of Neighborhood Safety reported making thousands of contacts in the focus areas of Cedar Riverside, north Minneapolis, East Lake Street, West Lake Street and downtown. They made referrals to housing and food access and substance abuse services, and distributed gun locks, administered naloxone and conducted 55 mediations to de-escalate potential violence in the community.

There have been 74 homicides in Minneapolis this year. According to the Star Tribune's database, the city experienced 97 homicides in 2021, tying the all-time record set in 1995.

Rising crime has been an issue of concern for downtown businesses and residents as night life returns to a semblance of normalcy following the COVID-19 pandemic and civil disturbances in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

Thursday's report credited Operation Endeavor for building relationships in the community and reducing violent crime.

"The efforts of Operation Endeavor have helped build confidence in residents, employers, and employees as reports of anecdotal feedback have shifted from 'we love the visible presence' to 'what happens after Operation Endeavor — we can't go backwards,'" according to the report.

A representative from Operation Endeavor was not immediately able to respond to a request for comment.