{"id":2631249,"date":"2026-07-17T15:50:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T19:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/somali-gangs-are-terrorizing-the-minneapolis-area-sheriff-says\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T15:59:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T19:59:58","slug":"somali-gangs-are-terrorizing-the-minneapolis-area-sheriff-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/somali-gangs-are-terrorizing-the-minneapolis-area-sheriff-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Somali gangs are terrorizing the Minneapolis area, sheriff says"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsomali-gangs-are-terrorizing-the-minneapolis-area-sheriff-says%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2631249&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Local officials report that about twelve Somali gangs, mainly composed of teenagers, are causing significant violence in Minnesota, particularly in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher estimates that up to 300 Somali youth are involved in gang activities, responsible for at least 14 homicides and over 100 shootings in recent years, including during large public gatherings. Somali gangs such as the Somali Hot boyz, Somali Mafia, and others have been active for over a decade, linked to numerous violent crimes across the region, with police investigations revealing connections to gangs in Ohio.<\/p>\n<p>Fletcher emphasizes a three-pronged approach of prevention, intervention, and enforcement, and has engaged community leaders and investigators to address the issue, noting that many parents are unaware of thier children\u2019s involvement in gangs. Conversely, some community leaders, including Minneapolis and St.Paul officials, dispute the narrative, accusing law enforcement of racializing Somali youth and spreading misinformation.they argue that poverty, social disinvestment, and systemic failures are root causes of violence, advocating for community partnerships and trust over criminalization.<\/p>\n<p>The debate has elicited strong responses from Somali community representatives, who criticize Fletcher\u2019s portrayal of Somali youth as dangerous, urging instead for respectful engagement and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/deadly-shooting-at-us-storefront-evidence-shows-at-least-two-firearms-involved\/\" title=\"US ...orefront Shooting: Multiple Guns ...\">addressing underlying social issues<\/a>. efforts are underway to foster dialog, with upcoming outreach events intended to build trust and develop collaborative solutions to curb gang violence while respecting community dignity.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A dozen <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Somalia\/\">Somali<\/a> gangs with hundreds of members, mainly teenagers, are wreaking havoc in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a>, committing public shootings and murders out in the open, according to local officials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, whose office patrols the metropolitan region surrounding <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Minneapolis\/\">Minneapolis<\/a> and St. Paul, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that as many as 300 Somali youth are engaged in gang activity around the Twin Cities area.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4652181\/somali-gangs-terrorizing-minneapolis-sheriff\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Somali gangs are terrorizing the Minneapolis area, sheriff says<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4653045\/trump-resurrects-fbi-2020-election-fraud-investigation-michigan-what-we-know\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump resurrects \u2018slow-walked\u2019 FBI 2020 election fraud investigation in Michigan: What we know<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4650469\/brian-stewart-tennessee-state-representative-marine-record\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Tennessee Republican accused of trying to \u2018deceive\u2019 voters by posting training form to prove Marine service<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Fletcher\u2019s office, Somali gangs were responsible for at least 14 homicides in the past two years, as well as over 100 shootings, including gunfights that broke out at massively attended gatherings, such as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/suspect-charged-with-assault-machine-gun-possession-in-wayzata-high-school-graduation-shooting\/\">high school graduation ceremonies<\/a> and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/chaos-and-violence-mar-final-night-of-minnesota-state-fair\/\">Minnesota State Fair<\/a>. Fletcher mentioned that one Minneapolis police officer reported that Somalis account for one-fifth, or 20%, of the city\u2019s homicides. While the Minneapolis Police Department does not publish <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.minneapolismn.gov\/government\/government-data\/datasource\/crime-dashboard\/\">homicide data<\/a> by race or national origin, making that claim impossible to verify, homicides in the city have been tied to Somali gangs in the past, as far back as the mid-to-late 2000s. For instance, in 2009, seven Minneapolis-area Somali men were <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/id\/wbna32010471\">killed<\/a> over a 10-month period, and authorities believed that they were all murdered by fellow Somalis who belong to gangs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, Somali Hot Boyz, the Somali Mafia, and Madhibaan with Attitude were the most active Somali gangs operating in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most recently, the shootings in Minneapolis over the Fourth of July weekend, which included a murder <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/at-least-2-dead-several-injured-as-minneapolis-suburbs-experience-violent-july-4-weekend\/\">reportedly<\/a> stemming from an unlicensed Somali hookah lounge that runs out of the back of a warehouse and houses an autism center by day, were all attributable to the Somali gangs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fletcher reiterated that he is concerned about helping these at-risk teens entangled in gang life by confronting the community\u2019s \u201cdanger of denial.\u201d Last week, the sheriff warned in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Nyda6ms-k9g\">a nearly 45-minute public service announcement<\/a> that community leaders need to recognize the pattern of violence now before the \u201c300 kids running in gang circles\u201d triple to 900 gang-involved juveniles.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy 40 years of experience in addressing gang violence in our community has taught me that we need a three-pronged approach of prevention, intervention, and enforcement to impact the issue,\u201d Fletcher told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In another <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oT9MPukjku4\">advisory video<\/a>, Deputy Ben Seidel, an expert in Ramsey County Sheriff\u2019s Office\u2019s gun unit primarily handling Somali gang crimes, said the 12 active Somali gangs in Minnesota are \u201clinked up\u201d with ones in Ohio. Seidel, who is leading an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/european-union-migration-ministers-meet-amid-channel-crisis-without-britain\/\" title=\"European Union Migration Mini...ers Meet Amid Channel Crisis Without Britain\">organized crime investigation<\/a> into these groups, said RCSO works alongside the Columbus Police Department based out of Ohio to track that interstate coordination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4594243\/ohio-somali-fraud-house-oversight\/\"><strong>OHIO HAS ITS OWN SOMALI FRAUD PROBLEM, HOUSE OVERSIGHT SAYS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In November, former Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O\u2019Hara stated on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.audacy.com\/wccoradio\/news\/local\/growing-minneapolis-juvenile-crime-from-suburban-perpatrator\">a radio show<\/a> that \u201cEast African kids\u201d are flooding Minneapolis from \u201cout of town\u201d to start trouble. O\u2019Hara, however, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/minneapolis-police-chief-issues-apology-following-comments-about-east-african-kids-and-juvenile-crime\/\">apologized<\/a> for his comments days later following backlash from the Somali community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, the top prosecutor for Hennepin County categorically denied the existence of Somali gangs in Minneapolis, the county\u2019s seat. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty posted <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HennepinAtty\/status\/1995965759676375523\">a video<\/a> in December claiming that reports of Somali gangsters terrorizing residents were merely rumors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are no roving gangs of Somalis targeting or harassing or doing anything inappropriate to any community members. Those are simply lies, it\u2019s not true,\u201d she said in the video, which was meant to address the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moriarty, a Democrat, accused the Trump administration of spreading what she insisted was misinformation through \u201ca campaign of hatred and fear to try and divide us.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Let us be very clear: there are no &#8220;roving Somali gangs terrorizing people.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration is, once again, using a campaign of hatred and fear to try and divide us. <\/p>\n<p>It will not work. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3ahQ11Hgnx\">pic.twitter.com\/3ahQ11Hgnx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty (@HennepinAtty) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HennepinAtty\/status\/1995965759676375523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 2, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seidel said the rival Somali gangs appear to be motivated by \u201cbragging rights\u201d or their own \u201cegos\u201d when they carry out such brazen crimes. \u201cIt\u2019s ongoing, and frankly, it\u2019s nonstop and it\u2019s out of control,\u201d Seidel said of the county\u2019s Somali gang problem.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/exposed-document-reveals-extensive-list-of-east-african-violent-crimes-following-sheriff-fletcher-comments\/\">a list of gang-related cases<\/a> obtained by <em>Alpha News<\/em>, the sheriff\u2019s office in Ramsey County has recorded more than 100 incidents across Greater Minneapolis connected to \u201cEast African violence\u201d since 2023, with the first incident listed referencing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/melee-stabbing-and-shots-fired-at-washburn-hs-somali-culture-night\/\">a stabbing<\/a> at a Minneapolis high school on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/clip\/Ugkxds8AbVDB45vcRCbVkzRVHlTfE8Mqvz_V\">Somali Cultural Night<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Documenting homicides, drive-by shootings, large-scale gun battles between feuding gangs, violent assaults, armed robberies, and a home invasion, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/East-African-Violence-timeline_.pdf\">the list<\/a> contained case numbers for each incident, suspect names, and gang affiliations where available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4563397\/minnesota-crime-prevention-group-democrats-accused-fraud-scheme\/\"><strong>MINNESOTA CRIME PREVENTION GROUP CHAMPIONED BY DEMOCRATS IS ACCUSED OF $6.5 MILLION FRAUD SCHEME<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Muddy, Ville, YSL, SLP, Juice, Shako, and the 1627 Boys were among the gangs named in the nine-page document. With a presence dating back <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fox9.com\/news\/18-year-old-charged-after-gang-feud-turns-deadly-in-minneapolis\">more than a decade,<\/a> the 1627 Boys were named after <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mphaonline.org\/property\/cedar-high-apartments-1627\/\">a high-rise apartment building<\/a> managed by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, the largest provider of affordable housing in Minnesota.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In several cases, shell casings matched ballistic evidence recovered from other previous shootings. The scenes of the crimes mentioned included <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/alphanews.org\/suspect-in-custody-after-2-shot-outside-graduation-ceremony-at-mariucci-arena\/\">Mariucci Arena<\/a> on the University of Minnesota\u2019s campus, the Mall of America, and the National Sports Center.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Minneapolis City Councilman Jamal Osman, a Somali-born Democrat, rebuked Fletcher\u2019s efforts to raise awareness about the area\u2019s Somali gang crisis, calling the sheriff\u2019s rhetoric \u201cdangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udce2Community violence must be taken seriously. But scapegoating Somali youth, spreading fear &#038; connecting local young people to terrorism abroad is wrong &#038; dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>Real public safety means partnership, trust, &#038;  investment \u2013 not blame.<\/p>\n<p>Somali youth deserve dignity &#038; respect. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dGjmeOGTFu\">pic.twitter.com\/dGjmeOGTFu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jamal Osman (@JamalOsmanMN) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JamalOsmanMN\/status\/2074581553154236673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 7, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JamalOsmanMN\/status\/2074581553154236673\">a written statement<\/a>, Osman said Fletcher was \u201cscapegoating\u201d all Somali youth to the point of \u201cdemonizing\u201d them. Accusing the sheriff of \u201cstoking racial resentment,\u201d Osman claimed Fletcher was speaking about the Somali community \u201cwithout the cultural understanding and care that public leadership requires.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The councilman said law enforcement instead should focus on \u201cdeepening relationships\u201d with Minnesota\u2019s Somali diaspora. \u201cReal leadership means showing up with humility, listening to the people closest to the problem, and working together on solutions that protect everyone,\u201d Osman wrote, \u201cespecially with communities that have too often been over-policed, misunderstood, or ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Osman argued that the root causes of violence are \u201cyears of disinvestment, poverty, lack of opportunity, social isolation, and systems that have failed too many families for too long.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On X, Osman added, \u201cReal public safety means partnership, trust, &#038; investment \u2014 not blame. Somali youth deserve dignity &#038; respect.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3885211\/minneapolis-city-councilman-jamal-osman-carjacked-pivots-toward-soft-on-crime-policies\/\"><strong>MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCILMAN WHO WAS CARJACKED PIVOTS AWAY FROM SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Somali leaders in St. Paul also held a press conference outside the Ramsey County courthouse on Tuesday to respond to Fletcher\u2019s \u201cdisparaging\u201d comments, claiming that the sheriff was \u201cracializing crime\u201d and placing Somali families under \u201ccollective suspicion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut public safety is not advanced by sensationalizing violence, making sweeping generalizations about Somali youth, or using the authority of public office to publicly lecture and stigmatize an entire community,\u201d the Somali American Partnership, a Minnesota nonprofit network, said in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CrimeWatchMpls\/status\/2076862680325873710\">a press release<\/a> announcing the courthouse rally.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fletcher said he invites dialogue with stakeholders in the Somali community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have worked with the Somali community for 20 years,\u201d Fletcher told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cI welcome the opportunity to collaborate with all organizations wanting to address youth gang violence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fletcher said his office is hosting a July 21 outreach event at the Arden Hills Patrol Station to discuss the issue and foster candid conversation and constructive solutions, adding that he embraces the attendance of Somali leaders, parents, and crisis workers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is about saving lives,\u201d Fletcher said. \u201cI am thankful the conversation has begun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fletcher has sent some of his investigators into Somali neighborhoods to talk with parents, many of whom he said are not even aware their children are in a gang.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have to be honest with ourselves,\u201d RCSO gang investigator Jama Shine, who is part of the Somali American Police Association, said in one of the sheriff\u2019s PSA videos. Shine, saying that the problem stems from poor parenting, talked about how children as young as 12 are out on the streets until 2 a.m. without supervision.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oT9MPukjku4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Minnesota state Rep. Samakab Hussein, the first Somali American to represent St. Paul in the state legislature, agreed with Fletcher\u2019s assessment and urged his Somali constituents to be willing to acknowledge the problem within their community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSheriff Bob Fletcher has publicly shared crime data, law enforcement reports, and stories from victims and residents that point to a troubling increase in gun violence involving a small number of youth gangs. Those concerns deserve to be taken seriously,\u201d Hussein wrote in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.house.mn.gov\/members\/profile\/news\/15573\/41686\">a community newsletter<\/a>. \u201cBased on the information presented and the impact this violence is having on families, I believe we have a responsibility to move beyond denial and toward solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hussein hosted <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/2265871270908987\">a community meeting<\/a> of his own on the matter this past Wednesday, structured as a roundtable that offered resources to parents, educators, and youth leaders. Joined by Fletcher, the discussion panel was held at Midwest Community Care, a Somali-owned social services center in St. Paul.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPublic safety is not a partisan issue, and it should never become an ethnic one,\u201d wrote Hussein, a Democrat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fletcher said jailing those involved in gang violence is part of the solution. Hussein said that while \u201caccountability is non-negotiable\u201d and individuals guilty of gang crimes should face consequences under the law, mass arrests are not the way to handle the community\u2019s gang epidemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe cannot arrest our way out of this challenge, nor can we prevent our way out of it without accountability,\u201d Hussein said. \u201cWe need both.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Somali gangs, mainly teens, cause violence in Minnesota<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2631250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2249321702.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38565,39657,51050,6772,82859],"class_list":["post-2631249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-community-safety","tag-gang-violence","tag-law-enforcement-2","tag-minneapolis","tag-somali-gangs"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2249321702.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2631249"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631249\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2631253,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631249\/revisions\/2631253"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2631250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2631249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2631249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2631249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}