However, back in Minneapolis, a different story unfolds. The city continues to grapple with a significant rise in homicides, particularly in the North side, a predominantly Black neighborhood.
City Crime data shows that 93 people were murdered in Minneapolis last year. That’s just 3 less than the record number of killings in 1995. The neighboring city of St. Paul witnessed 38 murders last year, which was a historic high.
Murderapolis
In the late 1990s the city was nicknamed “Murderapolis.”
This latest murder surge began shortly after the death of George Floyd in May 2020, which sparked national outrage over police brutality.
In the wake of Floyd’s death, Minneapolis became a focal point for the “Defund the Police” movement. And the city drastically cut its police budget in an attempt to reallocate resources away from traditional policing and towards social services.
While some attribute the crime surge to the pandemic, others point to the demoralization of the police force following the national criticism they received. This, they argue, led to the mass exodus of officers, leaving the city vulnerable.
