Chief Harteau Addressing Another Violent Weekend In Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Sunday night, the chief of the Minneapolis Police Department spent time walking the streets of Minneapolis after another deadly weekend.

Three people have been shot to death across the city over the past couple of days, bringing the number of homicides to 34 for 2015. That's a 15 percent increase from this time last year.

"They're not predictable we don't know when they're going to occur or where they're going to occur," Police Chief Janee Harteau said.

Harteau is addressed the violence Sunday night as she takes to the streets where the crimes happened. Harteau was just given re-appointment this past week by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, which needs city council approval.

She says in her next term she's focusing on gun violence and getting guns off the streets. We also talked to some people who live in Minneapolis who say they're hoping more can be done to keep people safe.

"I'm not afraid to walk the streets or anything like that but I still keep my antennas up to be safe," resident Donald Hooker said.

Around the corner from where Hooker sits, along Newton Avenue North, this past weekend a man was found shot dead in front of a home.

"It just seems like there's a good balance right now with the police," Hooker said.

Hooker says he's lived in Minneapolis for 20 years. In the past few years he feels an increased police presence in the neighborhood. Others we talked to say they would've been afraid to be outside along this street just a few years ago, but they still hear gunshots several nights of the week.

"One homicide for me is too many," Harteau said. "I'd love to continue to see decreases. Although they are increases, they're increases on top of 30 and 40-year lows.

The city's shot-spotter technology nearby helped alert police to the gun violence that took place along Newton Avenue North this weekend. Chief Harteau says in her first term, technology and community engagement have improved. But in her second term, she'll focus on where and how criminals are getting guns.

"The conversation stalls because there is concern that this is about gun control. This is not to me about gun control. It's about responsible gun ownership. It is about making sure that guns aren't in the hands of people that are already violent," Harteau said.

For Hooker, who runs youth programs in Minneapolis, the way to keep the entire city of Minneapolis safe starts with young people and giving them more opportunities to be productive members of society.

Harteau did not have any new information regarding this past weekend's homicides.

Harteau says she is looking at adjusting the bar close time as well as possibly changing other city ordinances after six people were shot earlier this summer in an area of downtown Minneapolis that's already heavily monitored by police.