A Minnesota sheriff is under mounting criticism after tying a wave of deadly Fourth of July weekend gun violence to Somali youth gangs during a public livestream.
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher set off a political storm Monday when he said on his “Live on Patrol” broadcast that officials could no longer avoid discussing what he called “a growing gang problem in the Twin Cities.”
His remarks came during a roughly 20-minute stream following a holiday weekend marked by shootings that investigators said were linked to rival Somali gangs.
Appearing with gang investigators, including RCSO Somali gang investigator Jama Shine, Fletcher argued that the issue required a more direct public conversation.
“We can’t ignore it anymore,” Fletcher said, as authorities described the violence as a threat extending beyond those directly involved and into surrounding neighborhoods.
During the livestream, Fletcher showed video connected to a double shooting Saturday near the Quarry Shopping Center in northeast Minneapolis.
“We’ve got a huge list of criminal activity, but having said that, we’re not indicting the whole community,” the sheriff said from his office while addressing viewers.
“Before you start fixing the problem, first you have to identify what it is,” he added in the broadcast, which has since drawn tens of thousands of views.
Shine echoed the call for action, urging families, faith leaders and community organizations to step in before more young people are pulled into gang life.
Sheriff Bob Ramsey has triggered outrage after he claimed his area housed a Somali gang problem, claiming that the string of violent events occurring in Minneapolis over Independence Day weekend was linked to them
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher displayed video footage from a double shooting on Saturday near the Quarry Shopping Center in northeast Minneapolis on his latest ‘Live on Patrol’ stream
The Sheriff cited a dramatic spike in the gang violence and declared the solution would need input from a collective of community leaders, parents and law enforcement
‘This needs to stop,’ Shine said, adding, ‘We need to come together from law enforcement, community members, faith leaders, and to find a solution for this youth.’
Officials say many of the feuds begin online before exploding into real-world violence, with social media insults and neighborhood rivalries quickly escalating into gunfire.
Another investigator addressing this issue, Ben Seidl, said he’s tracking at least dozen Somali gangs in the Twin Cities and metro area, operating with roughly 300 members.
‘We need to come together; we need to [find] something to do for the kids. All right, most of these kids… don’t have places to go,’ Seidl said.
Fletcher also announced a public meeting on July 21 at the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office in Arden Hills, saying residents, community leaders and law enforcement must work together to stop the bloodshed before it gets worse.
But the sheriff’s remarks immediately instigated robust pushback.
Fletcher says he has sent his officials into the Somali community to talk to parents, many of whom don’t know their child is even in a gang
While others agreed with the indication Fletcher made they opposed the way the messaging was delivered
Civil rights advocates and elected officials accused Fletcher of unfairly singling out an entire ethnic community instead of focusing solely on the individuals responsible for the violence.
Suleiman Adan, deputy executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN), said criminals should be prosecuted but warned the sheriff’s language could reinforce damaging stereotypes.
He argued that lasting solutions lie in prevention, youth programs, education and stronger community partnerships – not rhetoric that risks painting an entire community with the same brush.
Minneapolis City Council Vice President Jamal Osman says he was ‘dismayed and deeply disappointed’ by the way the issue had been framed.
The Minneapolis Police Department, meanwhile, said in a statement that investigations into the weekend violence were ‘open and ongoing.’
‘MPD will not comment on investigative details or speculate about potential gang or group involvement until all facts are confirmed,’ the statement said.
But Fletcher has refused to back down.
The sheriff says confronting the problem openly is the only way to stop the loss of more young lives. He also insists his office has spent years working alongside Somali community leaders and is targeting violent offenders – not the wider Somali population.
Investigators say these gangs are unlike traditional criminal organizations built around drugs or organized crime. Instead, many are made up of teenagers and young adults whose personal disputes rapidly spiral into shootings.
Authorities also warned that some suspects have been caught carrying illegally modified firearms capable of automatic fire, dramatically increasing the risk to innocent bystanders.
Police believe there is still time to intervene before the gangs become larger and more deeply entrenched.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Minneapolis Police Department and the RCSO for comment.
