Latest news with #NorthMinneapolis
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Indictment: 21 Days of Peace violence interrupters fired 43 shots in March incident
Indictment: 21 Days of Peace violence interrupters fired 43 shots in March incident originally appeared on Bring Me The News. Two men who worked for the Minneapolis violence interruption group 21 Days of Peace have been indicted by a federal grand jury with gun crimes following a March incident in which they fired dozens of shots. Alvin Anthony Watkins, Jr., 50, of St. Anthony, and Kashmir Khaliffa McReynolds, 35, of Minneapolis, are facing federal charges, with the U.S. Attorney's Office saying they "recklessly fired approximately 43 bullets into the dark, in a residential neighborhood in North Minneapolis" on Monday, Mar. 10. The pair had allegedly just finished their shifts attending a barbecue hosted by 21 Days of Peace when a still-unidentified assailant fired around 30 shots in their direction. "Although McReynolds did not see a person fire the gunshots, he fired numerous rounds in the general direction from which he thought the gunshots had originated, then ran to the other side of the block and continued shooting," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "He also supplied Watkins with another gun, which Watkins fired a number of times. McReynolds knew Watkins was prohibited from carrying and possessing firearms due to his prior felony convictions. In total, McReynolds and Watkins fired approximately 43 rounds of ammunition." 21 Days of Peace is a violence interruption group under the umbrella of Salem Inc., the nonprofit founded by the Rev. Jerry McAfee that has received millions of dollars in funding via the Minnesota Legislature and The City of Minneapolis in recent years."McReynolds and Watkins were paid taxpayer money to bring peace to the community. Instead, they brought the very violence they claimed to be interrupting. This is outrageous. These defendants will be held to account," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. But speaking to the Star Tribune, the Rev. McAfee questioned why the violence interrupters have been charged at the federal level given their case is also with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. He also questioned why the pair have been charged and nobody has been arrested for firing upon them on the first place, saying: "It's interesting: They fired at 'em 30 times, you got nothing?" This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
Two North Minneapolis violence interrupters federally charged in March shooting
Two Minnesota men working for 21 Days of Peace, a nonprofit funded by Minnesota Legislature, have been federally charged in relation to a shooting that occurred in March, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota. One of the men is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, and the other is charged with disposing of a firearm to a convicted felon and possession of firearm while employed for a prohibited person, officials said Friday. According to the attorney's office, who cites court documents, on the night of March 10, the two men were finishing their shifts for 21 Days of Peace in North Minneapolis when gunshots were fired at the men from an unknown, unseen shooter. The men returned fire, approximately firing off 43 shots into the dark in a residential area. Officials say that one of the men claimed he did not see a person fire the gunshots, but fired off a number of rounds in the general direction in which he thought the gunshots originated, then ran to the other side of the block and continued shooting. Court documents say this man supplied the other man with a gun, which he fired a number of times. The man who was given the gun was prohibited from carrying and possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions, and, according to officials, the other man knew that. "The people of north Minneapolis deserve peace," said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson on Friday. "[The men] were paid taxpayer money to bring peace to the community. Instead, they brought the very violence they claimed to be interrupting. This is outrageous. These defendants will be held to account." 21 Days of Peace is described by the Department of Justice as "an initiative of Salem Inc., which is a non-profit organization funded by the Minnesota Legislature to engage in 'social equity building and community engagement services.'"
