Minneapolis City Leaders Put Forth Vision For New Public Safety Plan

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Leaders in Minneapolis announced measures Monday to stop the crime that's happening in the city.

The announcement follows a violent weekend that included a shooting that put 9-year-old Trinity Smith in the hospital. Investigators say she was playing outside at a birthday party in north Minneapolis when she was shot in the head by a stray bullet.

She's been fighting for her life ever since.

Several other people were shot over the weekend in Minneapolis. Some of those shootings were deadly. Police say the violence is out of hand.

"Is there a threat to public safety? And the fact of the matter is yes, there is," Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson John Elder said. "You have people that are out shooting high numbers of rounds and not caring where those bullets go."

There have been 183 people shot in Minneapolis so far this year. That's nearly a 150% increase from this time last year.

"Violence has to stop. That has no place in our city," Chief Medaria Arradondo said. "Our children and our young people are not disposable."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says this moment must mark a turning point in the city. During a press conference with other leaders Monday, the Minneapolis Democrat announced a series of new safety proposals. They include summer safety response, holding Minneapolis police more accountable via new standards and training, more funding for intervention programs and focusing on safety beyond policing.

"The needs of our city are clear and they are exceedingly obvious. Gun violence is traumatizing our neighborhoods across our city, including and especially right here in north Minneapolis," Frey said. "I'm not naïve enough to think that there won't be some political pushback to making these different parts of this plan a reality, but if there ever was a time for local governments to come together, for community, for elected officials to rally around a common cause, which is both safety in our communities and accountability, now is that time."

The mayor is also working with MPD to get more cameras on the street, more officers on patrol and more funding for victims of trauma.