MINEÁPOLIS, Minn. — It's been a deadly week in Minneapolis as the city marked its 65th homicide of the year as of Friday morning.
Since Wednesday, four people have been killed in shootings across the city. One of them was a 12-year-old boy, London Michael Bean.
"He did not deserve this at all," said Bean's sister, Shantel Mack.
In comparison at this same time last year, the city had reported 63 homicides.
In all of 2020, Minneapolis police reported 82 homicides, according to the Department of Public Safety's Uniform Crime Report for 2020. That's nearly a 71% increase from 2019 with 48.
At this rate, the statistics are alarming, reminding some of the year 1995 when the city saw a record-setting 97 homicides and earned the grim nickname "Murder-apolis."
In response to the recent gun violence, Minneapolis police spokesperson Garrett Parten's addressed the community, saying in part: "We must embrace the sanctity of life, see the value in each person who visits or calls the city home, and do not destroy one another."
"We can be better as a community — as a group — and I honestly believe that better days are ahead," said Parten.
Something he hopes will ultimately help save lives.
Meanwhile, Parten says officers are making progress in the investigations into this week's homicides.
In St. Paul, the police department reported 23 homicides so far this year as of Saturday. Last year there were 35.