'Somali Teens And Young Adults' Tied To 2nd Edina Shooting In 2 Months, Police Chief Says

EDINA, MN — Edina's police chief says Somali teens and young adults have been caught up in two shootings at community gathering places in recent months, including last week's gunfire outside Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.

"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," Police Chief Todd Milburn said in a video message released Sept. 24.

Milburn said investigators do not yet know who the shooters are or why the young people were targeted, but described the incidents as "consistent with a pattern of gang violence throughout the region."

Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, a group of 16- to 18-year-olds was playing basketball at Our Lady of Grace, 5071 Eden Ave., when another group pulled up in a vehicle and fired handguns at them before leaving, witnesses told police.

No one was hurt. Detectives believe the players were the intended target, not the church, and neither group appears to be affiliated with the church or its school.

On July 22, shots were fired during a large gathering at Yancey Park. No one was hurt, but gunfire struck a nearby home, according to police.

"We cannot dismiss an incident like this simply because no one was hurt," Milburn said.

He said police have stepped up patrols in Edina parks during peak evening hours, placed temporary mobile cameras, and are getting help from officers in neighboring cities.

The department has also joined the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's Violent Crime Reduction Unit, giving it 30 additional detectives working on both cases, Milburn said. The city has also changed its park ordinance.

"There is no single solution to this problem," Milburn said. "What I can tell you is that we are taking these incidents seriously."

No arrests have been announced in either case. The Edina First Responders Fund is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charges in the Yancey Park shooting.

Anyone with information or video of either shooting is asked to call Edina police at 952-826-1600 or email EdinaPoliceTips@EdinaMN.gov.