Latest news with #MinneapolisCityCouncil
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
1 dead, several wounded in Minnesota's Boom Island Park ‘war zone'
A woman was killed and five men wounded late Sunday when a mass shooting turned Minneapolis's Boom Island Park into a 'war zone,' officials said. Another woman was hospitalized after being knocked unconscious in the chaotic aftermath, Minnesota Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters at a Monday-morning press conference at the park. Investigators said there was likely more than one shooter, given the number of shell casings, and that no arrests had been made. The Hennepin County Medical examiner identified the woman killed as 23-year-old Stageina Katraya Shapryia Whiting from Brooklyn Center on Monday. She suffered a gunshot wound to the torso. The gunfire broke out during a dispute at a large gathering in the Mississippi River-adjacent park, O'Hara said, and calls began coming in around 9:30 p.m. Police arrived to find about 100 people in the park. Chief O'Hara said a large crowd had gathered at the park Sunday evening, perhaps for a BBQ, when an argument escalated into gunfire. His investigators believe multiple shooters were involved in the incident, as hundreds of pieces of evidence were strewn around the park, many of them empty shell casings. 'It's more akin to a war zone, the amount of casings found in the park. It's sickening and we need people to come forward,' O'Hara said. 'The level of violence displayed in this shooting is absolutely sickening, and our investigators will work diligently to bring whoever is responsible to justice.' Mayor Jacob Frey called the violence 'completely unacceptable' in a social media post stating that just this week, the city launched 'Operation Safe Summer' to curb violence. City statistics showed more than three dozen law enforcement units responded to the gunfire. CBS News reports that at least one Minneapolis City Council member wants to see Boom Island close its gates by 8 p.m.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Idiots who wanted to defund police': Derek Chauvin trial judge calls out Minneapolis City Council
George Floyd and Derek Chauvin The judge in the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's trial has given insight into his attempts to manage the "media circus" and specifically called out the Minneapolis city council for making the situation "worse. " Also Read: George Floyd's uncertain legacy is marked five years on "It did not help that people were saying 'defund the police' — all these idiots on the Minneapolis City Council," the New York Post quoted retired judge Peter Cahill as saying in his first interview since the conclusion of the high-profile trial linked to the killing of George Floyd. Cahill further called out the city council for announcing a record pre-trial $27 million settlement to Floyd's family even as the jury was preparing for their duties. He also defended his decision to have the trial broadcast live. Due to COVID-era social distancing policies, only six people were permitted to be in the court room. This, he believed, was contrary to the US Constitution's guarantee to a public trial. Also Read: Ex-Minneapolis police chief recalls 'absolutely gut-wrenching' moment of seeing George Floyd video 'The six seats were designated for family members. So is that a public trial?' Cahill asked in the interview. Further, the 66-year-old expressed frustration with politicians such as then-President Joe Biden, who commented publicly about the jury reaching the 'right verdict," and others. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo The retired jurist also admitted he has a 'bias' towards police officers, adding that he consciously attempted to put that aside during Chauvin's trial. 'Part of my training is to check my bias. And to be honest, I think I have a pro-police bias… that I have to be careful not to act on,' the retired judge said, adding contextually that his brother is a police officer in Wisconsin. Though confident in how he handled the controversial case, Cahill revealed that he changed the frame of his glasses so he's "less likely to be recognized." 'I changed my look so I don't look like that Chauvin judge,' he told the outlet.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Judge in Derek Chauvin case breaks silence, calls out ‘defund police' crowd for complicating trial
The judge in Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's claimed that 'defund the police' 'idiots' made it difficult to carry out the trial — but insists he gave the man convicted of killing George Floyd a fair shake. In his first interview since the high-profile trial, retired Judge Peter Cahill, 66, gave insight into his attempts to manage the media circus and specifically called out the Minneapolis city council for making the situation worse through toxic politics, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. 'It did not help that people were saying 'defund the police' — all these idiots on the Minneapolis City Council,' Cahill told the outlet. Advertisement 3 Judge Peter Cahill, 66, called out the Minneapolis City Council as 'idiots' in a new interview about the Derek Chauvin trial. AP Cahill further called out the Minneapolis City Council for announcing a record pre-trial $27 million settlement to Floyd's family as the jury was preparing for their duties back in 2021. The retired jurist had a glib response for critics who suggested the judge should have consented to the defense's calls for a change of venue for the trial. Advertisement 'What, are we going to change the venue to Mars?,' he told the outlet. Later in the interview he defended his decision to have the trial broadcast live to millions over live stream. Due to COVID-era social distancing policies, only 6 people were permitted to be in the court room, which he believed was contrary to the US Constitution's guarantee to a public trial. 'The six seats were designated for family members. So is that a public trial?,' Cahill asked in the interview. Advertisement The 66-year-old further expressed frustration with politicians who were adding fuel to the fire, including then-President Joe Biden who commented publicly about the jury reaching the 'right verdict' and Rep. Maxine Waters who urged protesters to be confrontational. 3 Former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted on several murder charges for his caught-on-camera killing of George Floyd. Pool via REUTERS Cahill stated that he was 'pissed off' by a New York Times report that outlined the terms of a potential 10-year plea deal for Chauvin before the trial even started, the Star Tribune reported. The judge also said he had a 'bias' towards police officers, which is something he consciously attempted to put aside during the Chauvin trial. Advertisement 'Part of my training is to check my bias. And to be honest, I think I have a pro-police bias… that I have to be careful not to act on,' the retired judge said, adding contextually that his brother is a police officer in Wisconsin. Despite taking aim at several left-wing groups, Cahill said he 'hated extremists' and 'crazies' 'on both sides' and also took aim at the right-wing. 3 Judge Cahill called out 'crazies on both sides' who made arriving at a fair verdict for Derek Chauvin difficult. Getty Images 'The far right, you know, their daily bread is revisionist history. But in this particular instance, it's a lack of trust in the judicial system as a whole, and the jury system, and that's concerning,' Cahill told the Star Tribune. 'I think what concerns me most about the revisionist history is the lack of confidence in the judicial process – not even the system or the judges, the judicial process,' he said. 'We had 12 jurors from a variety of backgrounds who gave it good consideration. And I bet if you interviewed them, they'd say they don't regret their decision,' the judge contended. Though confident in how he handled the controversial case, Cahill revealed that he changed the frame of his glasses so he's less likely to be recognized. Advertisement 'I changed my look so I don't look like that Chauvin judge,' he told the outlet. The jurist also revealed that he received a warm letter from fellow retired judge Lance Ito, who famously oversaw the OJ Simpson trial, which wished him 'peace and wisdom,' the outlet reported.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Businesses left struggling 5 years after George Floyd's murder
The Brief Businesses near 38th and Chicago, where George Floyd was killed in 2020, are struggling five years later. The intersection was closed to traffic for over a year and many businesses have closed. Locals have lost money and some businesses have since sued the city of Minneapolis. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - You can't tell the story of what Chicago Avenue is today without telling the story of an ongoing and frustrating five-year conversation. The debate over George Floyd Square has lasted years. What will George Floyd Square look like eventually? We don't know. The city council and Minneapolis mayor haven't agreed on how to transform the space and business owners say it is costing them their jobs. "Business is very slow in this area," owner of Just Turkey restaurant, Sam Willis, said. "I have four children. I want to be able to put them through college and things of that nature, but at this point, I'm not able to." Big picture view Before the murder of George Floyd, business was booming near 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis. That changed after May 25, 2020. Immediately after Floyd's death, the area became a memorial site. While parts of the city experienced protests, riots, and looting, the business owners near 38th and Chicago tried to protect their buildings. "We were standing, we were using our bodies to stand there, we were using garbage cans, and we started using vehicles," AGAPE member Reginald Ferguson said. In a sense, Ferguson and others in the area are still protecting their space. "This is our last year. This is the last year. We're gonna be heard," Dwight Alexander, the owner of Smoke in the Pit said. Alexander's family started the business in 2013. He took over in 2021. "Like they say, we lose one sense, you gain another sense. By of the poor traffic being here, I'm tapping into other little things." Ace Rice, owner of PLOT Gallery is new to the space and is optimistic, hoping for a turnaround. "There is at least 12 black-owned businesses and at least if you include culinary arts, at least eight arts organizations all on one block," Rice said. "I think that's something really special." All the businesses decided to open their doors because of the constant flow of traffic which has barely seen movement. They've voiced their concerns about visitors stopping by George Floyd Square to visit, but never spending time shopping locally. "Upuntil 2020, I would say we just saw things really start to pop. Every single storefront here was full. There was a lot of activity. There was lot of stuff going on. It is different now," owner of Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, Victoria Lauing said. The backstory "How many people have you seen leave?" FOX 9 reporter Symone Woolridge asked. "Oh, several. So many," Willis said. "Even the guy that, you know, helped George Floyd, helped the guy get convicted for the murder. He had a Black Chinese spot right here. He had to move out because he couldn't afford it, you know. He wasn't generating any income." From shoe stores to clothing stores, many stores that were open near 38th and Chicago are no longer there. One business was only able to place signage but never opened and decided to open elsewhere. The argument about George Floyd Square has impacted businesses tremendously. It has been a frustrating conversation for them. "They don't spend no money on this block, but they'll be standing up there doing an interview in front of a camera and then they get in their car and they leave," Ferguson said. "And that's what happens when everybody listens to them and they get their voice heard, and now we say, now this is what we're doing. We're going to do it because of what? We got city councilmen that don't even be in this part. And they're over here telling us what we should do with our community, that we have to deal with every day ourselves." Majority of the council wants a pedestrian mall which would also include a place to honor Floyd. "It's bigger than a memorial," AGAPE member Bridgette Stewart said. Stewart and the other business owners agree with having a place to honor and remember Floyd, but they don't want to have to pack up and find a new home. "By opening up the street, other businesses were able to come in and become somewhat successful. But we want to see them flourish like they were before 2020," Stewart said. "We love this community, we're here for a reason. We don't intend to go anywhere. It has been a struggle, but we are committed and we're, we are here for the long haul," Lauing said. "What I really enjoy is the resilience of this group, and that perhaps this is the first time in Minnesota we refuse to perform what justice looks like, and we really sort of dig in and make sure that we actually get there," owner of Bichota Coffee Terrance Anderson said. "It's beyond just trying to sustain. We need to be able to regenerate," owner of City Food Studio Lachelle Cunningham said. "We need be able heal. We need able to invest back in so that we can create something greater." Local perspective "When the ambulance couldn't come through here, they was telling us to bring the bodies down there to them because they wouldn't come here without a police presence," Edwin Reed said as he spoke with two patrol officers. Reed owns Sincere Detailing Pros. He's one of many that have sued the city, claiming it failed to protect his business. He remembers the horrifying days in 2020 and 2021. The street near 38th and Chicago was closed for over a year, leading to high crime. It was known as a "no-go zone" and police rarely went inside, with the zone blocked by barricades. "Where were you guys for four years straight?" Reed asked patrol officers Drea Mays and Xander Krohnfeldt. The two have been patrolling the area for over a year now, hoping to build trust in the community. "I can appreciate when things are going crazy. And there's not cops to respond. And there were plenty of times where I was on the ambulance and I'd ask for cops, and they'd say, nope, there's no cops, even when the ambulance was asking." Krohnfeldt was a paramedic at the time. READ MORE: At George Floyd Square, these officers hope to build trust in MPD "Now we see firsthand what it's like to not have the police in your community. Because we was in our community, policing our community but we wasn't arresting anybody," Ferguson said. After the experiences that have shifted their livelihood, the businesses are hoping they can go back to what they remember before everything changed in 2020.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minneapolis City Council member Emily Koski ends mayoral campaign
Minneapolis City Council member Emily Koski announced Monday she's ended her campaign for mayor. Koski, who represents Ward 11 in south central Minneapolis, is considered one of the council's more moderate Democratic members. In a statement Monday, Koski said she made the "difficult decision" to end her challenge to Mayor Jacob Frey. "I see a Minneapolis that is multigenerational, family-friendly and a city where residents feel they always come first," she wrote. "That vision still lives in me. It always will." "But I've come to a hard truth: under the current political climate, I can't be my authentic self and be a candidate in this race the way it demands," she continued. "I tried to balance it all—be a mom, build a great team, serve as a Council Member, raise a million dollars, show up for my kids, show up for every event, all while being a person driven by honesty and integrity." Koski has been an outspoken critic on what she describes as "toxicity" within Minneapolis politics — something she has often blamed, in part, on Frey's tenure. In her statement Monday, Koski said the environment within city politics "punishes integrity, vilifies collaboration, and prioritizes power over people." "It's a system where doing what's right isn't just difficult, it's discouraged at every turn," she wrote. Koski said she hoped her campaign could begin to foster "real, systemic, courageous change." "But instead of spending time with residents and talking about how to fix the real problems facing our neighborhoods, I found myself spending hours and hours fundraising just to stay afloat, working tirelessly to reject lies spread by anonymous donors and political action committees," she wrote. "That's not the city I want to lead—or the example I want to set for my children." Frey said he is seeking reelection to a "final term" as mayor, promising "good thoughtful governance" in a time of political "extremism." "I have stood up for what's best for our city even when it was not politically expedient to do so. It's time for us to love our city more than our ideology," he stated in a campaign message. "Together, we can make Minneapolis a national model for progressive governance that is laser-focused not on politics, but on delivering for residents." He faces a challenge from DeWayne Davis, lead minister of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis; Howard Dotson, a pastor at Urban Presbyterian; Sen. Omar Fateh, a democratic socialist who is the first Somali American to serve in the Minnesota Senate; Jazz Hampton, a community advocate, attorney and business owner; and Brenda Short, who became a Minneapolis homeowner and small business owner after experiencing homelessness.
