After a string of shootings and violent incidents rattled Edina, residents gathered Monday night to share their fears, demand answers and discuss what city leaders should do to restore public safety.
The Sept. 28 meeting, organized by Edina resident Liz Ross, brought together residents concerned about everything from gunfire and auto theft to disturbances at local parks and schools.
“We had a great turnout,” Ross told Alpha News.
And while the conversation was emotional at times, Ross said residents were united in wanting answers, accountability and a plan.
“We really had a good substantive, engaged conversation about the broader trends that we’re seeing in Edina,” she added.
From a Facebook post to a packed community meeting
Ross, a marketing executive and mother of three, said she decided to take action following the shooting at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, where her family attends.
She initially posted in a Facebook group for Edina mothers with approximately 4,500 members. The response was immediate.
According to Ross, her post generated more than 500 responses and interactions, along with approximately 150 direct messages from people asking how they could get involved.
She subsequently shared the meeting information on Nextdoor, where it attracted additional interest.
The resulting community gathering took place at Office Golf in Bloomington, just across the Edina border.
Although the meeting was scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., residents continued talking until nearly 9 p.m., when organizers had to wrap things up because the business was closing.
“People stayed and were very engaged for a long time,” Ross said.
Ross said three Edina City Council members attended: James Pierce, Julie Risser and Kate Agnew.
Residents share fears over shootings and gang violence
Rather than focusing on a single incident, Ross said the meeting gave residents an opportunity to discuss public safety concerns affecting their neighborhoods.
Those included disturbances at parks and schools, vehicle theft, property stolen from garages and cars, and incidents involving gunfire.
Residents also expressed frustration about what they perceive as the city’s response to those concerns.
“People were emotional about being afraid,” Ross said.
She said some residents also expressed concern that discussions about gun violence are sometimes characterized as unwelcoming, making it difficult to have candid conversations about what is happening in their neighborhoods.
“I think that people are very concerned about how the city is responding and the speed at which they are responding,” she said.
She said attendees also spoke about their concerns regarding violence involving Somali youth, while members of the Somali community who attended the meeting shared their own fears as parents.
According to Ross, the conversation focused in part on accountability and the importance of community members cooperating with law enforcement to identify individuals responsible for shootings.
She described the discussion as productive, with residents from different backgrounds expressing a shared desire to keep their children safe.
Police chief acknowledges Somali youth involvement
Ross said she appreciated Edina Police Chief Todd Milburn’s recent video message addressing the shootings, particularly his willingness to discuss the involvement of Somali youth.
“For the second time in recent months, Somali teens and young adults have been the targets of or have had some level of responsibility for shootings in community gathering places,” said Milburn.
Milburn said investigators had not yet established the shooters’ identities or motives and described the incidents as consistent with regional “gang violence.”
“I think that’s progress,” Ross said of the police chief’s statements.
The Sept. 22 shooting at Our Lady of Grace involved a group of teenagers playing basketball when another group arrived in a vehicle and opened fire, according to police. No injuries were reported, and investigators believe the basketball players, rather than the church, were the intended targets.
Two months earlier, gunfire erupted during a gathering at Yancey Park, striking a nearby home. The Edina First Responders Fund is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charges in that case.
The police department says it has increased patrols, deployed mobile cameras and worked with regional law enforcement partners. It is also collaborating with community leaders, families and youth organizations on prevention efforts.
The city has scheduled its own community conversation for 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.
Mayor Jim Hovland and Chief Milburn are expected to participate, with residents invited to join facilitated small-group discussions. Attendance is limited to 200 people, and registration is requested.
For Ross, the issue is personal. She has a 12-year-old son and twin 10-year-old daughters who use the very parks and community spaces at the center of residents’ concerns.
“For me, this is about protecting the community and the community spaces that are the reason why we all live here,” she said.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
