Residents of north Minneapolis have banded together to form safety patrols to address the surge of shootings in their neighborhood.
The goal is to stop the violence and connect those struggling with homelessness and unemployment with resources, said the Rev. Jerry McAfee of New Salem Missionary Baptist Church.
He was recruiting residents to join the patrols Monday afternoon at the corner of N. Lowry and N. Logan avenues.
The effort comes as police search for those responsible for fatally shooting a 6-year-old girl and wounding two other children. Two men were killed in north Minneapolis over the weekend.
"We need a resolution," said Cheryl Anderson, housing coordinator at local nonprofit A Mother's Love, which will be part of the patrol group. "We need to find out who is shooting our children. It's time to find out."
The group will patrol for the next 21 days starting at N. Lowry and N. Logan avenues. They will spend the next few days recruiting there and set off later this week through the neighborhood in hopes of keeping it safer.
"We will try to defuse issues before it gets too far," said Chasma Dixon, a pastor's assistant at New Salem.
Some members of the patrol also can help people obtain a GED, driver's license and other services. Those interested in joining can call 612-254-1228.
