Community leaders urge loved one to help curb youth violence: "It's tearing our community apart"
MINNEAPOLIS — Police say three men tried to break into a south Minneapolis garage, firing at a neighbor who happened to be looking out the window at the time.
It was one of six different crime scenes, happening within minutes of each other just blocks apart, causing concern for people who live nearby.
Steve Floyd and Reginald Ferguson have a combined 70 years of experience helping young people find a better way of life than gangs, guns and violence.
They believe boots-on-the-ground organizations have all the right answers to put an end to the violence, they just need to put them together like a puzzle.
"Community people come to the table and say, 'This is what I can do to help stop it,' and 'This is what I can do to help stop it,' and we all put it in and say this is what we are going to do let's work together we talk about everything else afterward," said Ferguson, the CEO for Agape Movement.
They believe these young offenders need to understand there are consequences for their actions and families need to step up and not be afraid to speak to their loved ones who are involved.
"These kids moms [are] watching the news, the dads, uncles, and you may recognize that person that you see on there," said Ferguson. "You may not want to tell on them, you got to pull them aside and say that could have been me, that could have been grandpa, that could have been someone in our family looking out the window and you don't know why they are looking out the window and you just shoot him that's not cool."
Police say the burglaries, carjackings and shooting were all random.
"We don't need to be quiet and not say nothing, you got to say something this is getting ridiculous," said Ferguson. "There are people who are hurting from this, [and] it's tearing our community apart."
Police hope someone recognizes the men involved and gives them a call.
As for the victims, 54-year-old Boyd Hansen is recovering from his injuries, but police say a 25-year-old man is being treated for a potentially life-threatening gunshot wound.
