A community meeting was held at Edina City Hall Monday night to discuss recent violent incidents in the city and surrounding areas.
The recent incidents include shots fired on the campus of Edina’s Our Lady of Grace church and school late last month, which the police chief later said involved Somalis, and a double shooting at Eden Prairie High School’s homecoming game this past Friday, which that city’s police chief later confirmed was Somali gang violence.
Hours after the meeting ended, Eden Prairie police confirmed that shots had been fired in yet another incident in their city Monday night.
Sources confirm to @AlphaNews that shots were fired at the Speedway in Eden Prairie. No victims as of now. Somalis are involved, per law enforcement sources. https://t.co/0YeU5S3Lz8
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) October 6, 2026
Alpha News senior reporter Liz Collin subsequently posted a confirmation from law enforcement sources saying that Somalis were again involved in Monday’s incident, which took place at the Speedway gas station at 16425 West 78th Street.
Eden Prairie police later issued a brief statement saying there had been no injuries and that four people had been detained. At the time of this report, there were no matching bookings in Hennepin County Jail.
UPDATE from police on the Eden Prairie shots fired: Police detained 4 suspects
At approximately 8:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, Eden Prairie Police responded to a report of shots fired at the Speedway gas station, 16425 W. 78th Street.
There were no injuries and four individuals have… pic.twitter.com/8tJBvS5fij
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) October 6, 2026
Additionally, police are investigating a shooting in Bloomington that took place early Tuesday. Sources say that shooting was also related to Somali gangs.
Now we're getting a submitted report of a drive-by shooting in Bloomington near 101st and Harriet. One of the recipient vehicles was associated with the EP homecoming shooting, supposedly.
Several houses were reportedly struck by gunfire.
No official info yet.
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) October 6, 2026
Monday’s community meeting in Edina, framed as a “community conversation addressing gun violence,” began with a long prologue from Mayor Jim Hovland acknowledging the “Somali youth gang-type problem” in the metro area. Hovland followed up with comments about a potential “community cohesion problem” and urged people to avoid associating the violence with other people with Somali identity. “Somali families and other residents are understandably concerned” over being stereotyped or targeted, Hovland said.
Several state and local officials were also present, including BCA Superintendent Drew Evans, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Edina Police Chief Todd Milburn, and Eden Prairie Police Chief Matt Sackett, as well as FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Dotson.
Officials presented a united message of working cooperatively to find those responsible for the violent incidents while stepping up visible patrols in certain areas.
Members of the public lined up to comment and were given about three minutes each to speak. Several Somali or East African commenters said they lived in the area and were also concerned about the violence. However, some wondered why officials were using the word “Somali” in connection to the gang violence and asked officials stop using the word Somali. They also asked for more investment in Somali youth through programs and funding as a potential curb to the violence.
Other commenters included a married couple who are Edina school bus drivers, one of whom stated he believed the violence was due to “spillover” from Minneapolis crime, which was “brought on by the sanctuary policies of Gov. [Tim] Walz.”
Other commenters focused on the home environments of the perpetrators and suggested an effort to reach parents through education or possibly even hold parents responsible in some cases.
Yet another commenter looked to hold public officials accountable and asked if they were prepared to directly confront what is happening, even if the facts made them politically uncomfortable. The same commenter also called out the city for referring to the incidents as “gun violence,” saying that it was “grossly misleading” and shifts blame away from the people committing the crimes and “avoids the questions of personal accountability and criminal behavior.”
One of the final speakers suggested an “extremely aggressive” approach with actions like RICO charges, roadblocks and warrants on residences where arms were suspected. He also referenced Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher’s prior comments wherein he stated there were currently about 300 Somali gang members, but the speaker said that number could explode to nearly a thousand shortly, if it’s not addressed.
Police Chief Milburn said the community partnerships would continue when asked for the immediate plan in moving forward.
Mayor Hovland stated that the public was also invited to make additional community comments at the start of Tuesday’s Edina City Council meeting at 7 p.m.
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Minneapolis/Twin Cities Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
