'It's About Doing What's Right': North Mpls. Community Rallies For Justice In Unsolved Murders
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A community is coming together to bring attention to the unsolved murders in the city of Minneapolis.
WCCO's Reg Chapman has more from the community rallies Mad Dads hopes will bring those responsible for the violence to justice.
Shell Pate says it's still hard to believe her daughter is gone.
"This whole incident is shocking," said Pate.
She will never forget the night of January 30th. Her daughter Tynesha was in a van with a half a dozen people, she was shot and pushed out of the vehicle onto Lyndale Avenue and left to die.
"Basically I'm just out here trying to investigate on my own, trying to figure out what happened to my daughter, especially a child just like Tynesha because Tynesha was not a troubled child," Pate said.
Tynesha's murder is one of many unsolved crimes in the city.
"And in those homicides, many of the people in the community know exactly who did it but the police can't get anyone to come forward," said VJ Smith.
Mad Dads National President VJ Smith hopes these gatherings will help people who may have information about these unsolved crimes come forward.
"Don't be afraid to stand on what you know is right. There is no such thing as snitching for community people. That's something that criminals do to each other, it's not something we do in our community. It's about doing what's right for these babies to make it safe so these kids can grow up in this community," Smith said.
Pate says she won't stop until she has answers.
"Someone knows exactly what happened it just don't make no sense. You got all those people in the van and my daughter is the only one that got hit. Somebody in that van knows something," Pate said.
Pate says she knows people are afraid to come forward but she believes there is power in numbers.
She too hopes these rallies to bring attention to the unsolved murders moves someone to tell what they know to bring peace back to the streets.
"I wish somebody would come forward with answers, let me know what happened to my daughter. You know, if there's any kind of way I could keep those people protected I will. I just want answers as to what happened to my daughter, because you know, whoever this person is out here walking around, they can do this to somebody else's child," said Pate.
