St. Paul City Leaders, Victim's Families Speak Out Against Gun Violence

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- St. Paul continues to look at ways to stop gun violence in the city.

Eighteen-year-old Rayvion Brooks became the third man charged in connection with the deadly shooting at Indian Mounds Regional Park this weekend. Prince Williams and Rashawn Porter also face charges.

Police were called to the park Sunday night, where they found 18-year-old Bobby Collins unresponsive. He was shot in the back of the head and died at the scene.

It was one of two deadly shootings in St. Paul in just as many days. Thirty-one-year-old Charles Hudson of South St. Paul was shot and killed Monday night.

Community leaders gathered on a hill overlooking the city of St. Paul Wednesday to address the issue of gun violence.

"Since April 15th, nine people have been shot in the city of St. Paul," said Police Chief Tom Smith. "Over the course from Sunday through Monday this week, we had six people shot, two of whom lost their lives."

The first fatality happened not far from Wednesday's gathering of leaders inside Mounds Park. Police say this shooting is the result of young people disrespecting each other on social media, and then using it to arrange meetings to settle their dispute.

"This is not a problem that would be solved solely by policing," Mayor Chris Coleman said. "It will because we come together as a community and say we've had enough of violence, we've had enough of too many senseless deaths, we've had enough of too many illegal guns in our community."

Hudson's mother, Eleanor Hudson, described her son as a "momma's boy."

Police say he was an innocent bystander, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You got these young kids, young mens or whoever else is running around with these guns and that ain't what you want," Hudson said. "Because if you continue this, we going to continue having these problems we having right now where they taking innocent lives."

Chief Smith gave a stern warning to criminals.

"For those of you who are indiscriminately out shooting at houses, people and cars – we're going to arrest you and we're going to use … every single tool we have to prosecute you at the fullest extent because this needs to stop."

Police have added more officers on the streets and approved overtime so investigators can work to solve crimes.

The city is also getting funds from the federal government so they can hire even more officers this fall.