 [MINNESOTA.CBSLOCAL] Gun battles, drug dealing and prostitution — that’s what neighbors in one part of north Minneapolis say they’re dealing with on a daily basis.Homicides and other violent mostly peaceful crimes are pulling police away. That’s leaving some neighborhoods feeling like they’re on their own.
The aftermath of a shoot out near Lowry and Logan Avenues in north Minneapolis has residents fed up.
"There was about 30 rounds shot," Jake, a nearby resident told WCCO.
Several homes on the block were hit. Two showed up at the hospital and are expected to recover.
"It’s 24-hour crime," Arthur Dent explained.
Neighbors call this a war zone, where crime is king.
"We’re seeing drug sales, I mean people pull up chairs and they sell it in our lawns, there is illegal gambling on the street, people selling firearm," Jake said.
"It’s prostitution, its violence against women who can’t protect themselves, we’ve had somebody sexually assaulted in our front yard," Dent explained.
Both of these men watch the violence from their homes, afraid to show their faces because they’ve been warned to stay quiet.
"Somebody got my attention with a weapon to make sure that I understood that I needed to be careful," Dent said.
Fmr. Policy Fellow To Minneapolis Mayor Charged With Drug, Gun Crimes
 [MINNESOTA.CBSLOCAL] A former policy fellow to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was charged Friday by the United States Attorney’s office with drug and gun crimes.
Keegan Jamaal Rolenc, 28, was arrested by Minneapolis police in early February after a traffic stop yielded a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, about 40 grams of cocaine, and other evidence of drug distribution.
Rolenc has previously been convicted of several felonies, including a drive-by shooting, assaults and drug possessions.
He was charged Friday with one count each of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Rolenc first met Mayor Frey in a Minneapolis Group Violence Intervention program. Frey eventually brought him into the mayor’s office as an intern, and then as a policy fellow. Frey also helped Rolenc in his quest to obtain a realtor’s license, but his criminal history shut him out.
Frey said back in February that he was "gutted" by news of Rolenc’s arrest.
His formal detention hearing is set for July 22.
Powderhorn Landlord Sues Minneapolis Park Board Over Homeless Encampment Crime
[MINNESOTA.CBSLOCAL]  A landlord in the Powderhorn neighborhood is suing the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, claiming that allowing people to live in tents in the park violates a number of already-existing ordinances.
For the past few weeks, people experiencing homelessness have set up tents in Powderhorn park, resulting in both community support and controversy as they seek a stable place to live amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The owner of an apartment building on the 31st block of Tenth Avenue, however, has had multiple tenants say they plan to move out because of the ongoing issues at the park.
On one occasion, a tenant sent him a video of a person — who appeared to be coming from the park — try to open car door handles in the parking lot. That same person then allegedly went up to the building and tried to open the tenant’s windows.
The landlord is suing the park board for at least $10,000 in damages, an added video security system, security patrols, repairing damage, and replacing lost tenants.
The park board said they have "acted at all times consistent with Gov. Walz’s Executive Orders and directions concerning the homeless and within the Park Board’s legal authority to govern parks.” 
|
