Dem Says Don’t Blame Somali Gangs For Pulling The Trigger, Points Finger Elsewhere

St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Mayor Nadia Mohamed, the first Somali elected mayor in the United States, called for a gun ban after a shooting linked to Somali gangs forced a high school to cancel its homecoming dance.

Minnesota’s Eden Prairie High School, which is just southwest of St. Louis Park, canceled its homecoming dance after a shooting that authorities believe involved Somali gangs left two people injured outside the school’s football stadium Friday night.

“We can definitely talk about this issue without making it a Somali issue,” Mohamed said. “Without making it all about Somalis, and how Somali gangs, and Somali this, and Somali that. … The rhetoric that you are pushing at best is irresponsible, at worst is dangerous.”

“You may be wondering, ‘Hey mayor, how can we solve for this?’ … The answer is easy, ban guns,” she added.

Mohammad’s policy suggestion is what she is hoping other people begin to do. “To pick on a community that is already revealing from anti-Somali rhetoric is low-hanging fruit,” she said. “Let’s talk about policy.”

Eden Prairie High School Principal Jaysen Anderson said the school canceled the homecoming dance due to the “trauma” caused by the shooting, which took place the night before the dance was scheduled. 

“Due to last night’s tragic and unfortunate event, we will not be holding our Homecoming Dance this evening,” said Anderson. “While we believe we would have the planning, resources and support to make tonight’s event safe and enjoyable, holding a dance less than 24 hours after a trauma in our community feels out of place. Too many students, staff and families were directly impacted, and we need to be prepared to adequately support all students and staff when they return to the building on Monday.” 

Authorities evacuated the stadium and postponed the football game after two males, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, suffered non-life-threatening gunshot injuries. Neither of the injured teens attended Eden Prairie or Minnetonka, the two high schools competing in the game.

Police broke up an altercation on the west side of the stadium before shots were fired in the high school parking lot. A law enforcement source told Fox 9 that the shooting was linked to Somali gang violence.

Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case also defended the Somali community after the shooting.

“Gang violence must be confronted, but the actions of those involved should not define the broader Somali community,” Case said. “I stand with the Somali Americans who call Eden Prairie home — our neighbors, business owners, parents, students, coworkers and friends — and I know many are deeply concerned about this violence and determined to be part of the solution.”

Jama Shine, an investigator with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, disagreed and said it was time to acknowledge the “Somali gang problem.”

“We have to be honest, right?” asked Shine. “We do have a gang problem. We do have a Somali gang problem, and we know who these kids are. We know their parents. We know where they live. They’re very mobile, and they’re causing a lot of problems in the community.”

In July, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) argued that it was time to address the problem and urged U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen to crack down on Somali gang violence.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you won’t assimilate, then get the hell out of here. First it was an estimated $9 billion in fraud, now it’s out-of-control violence,” Emmer said. “These Somali gangs have shot up high school graduations and assaulted players on opposing basketball teams with tire irons. It’s absolute madness, and something must be done.”

Somalis make up roughly 2% of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro population but account for at least 13% of its gang population, based on estimates from Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher.

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