Tonight, a massive gang
bust made meant to make the
streets of Minneapolis safer.
45 alleged gang members
are in custody right now,
charged in connection with years
of violence across the Twin Cit.
The suspects are connected to 20
shootings and seven murders. We
have team coverage tonight,
including how a law created to takedown
the Mafia is involved in this c,
but we begin with Luber Goose,
who walks us through this massive takedown.
One year ago,
a fight at Williams Pub in Uptown leads
to a shooting by the Lagoon The,
a man killed in very little
information about the incident m
authorities until now. The indictments
unsealed today alleged that the
defendants engaged in a brutal
and unrelenting trail of violene
over the course of years,
Violence such as revenge killin,
assaults and shootings.
That included the murder
of innocent bystanders,
US Attorney Andy Lugar,
announcing 45 alleged gang membs
charged together using a federal
organized crime law known as Ri.
We've been talking to gang membs
and they're afraid of federal charges.
They're afraid of Rico charges.
They specifically talk about Ri,
but unchecked. They engage in
this unrelenting violence.
It's a change in strategy in addressing
violent crime in Minneapolis.
Rather than addressing each crime separately,
Rico allows prosecutors to sweep
and charge the gang members together.
Today's unsealed indictments
include 28 members of the Highs.
gang that operates out of north
Minneapolis and 17 members of the Bloods
that operate in South Minneapol.
Lugar says more indictments are
coming for members of the Lows .
gang. Indictments detail drug
dealing and violent activity by
the Bloods at 38th and Chicago,
now known as George Floyd Squar,
which the feds say is Bloods territory.
And much of the alleged
criminal activity of the highs,
according to the indictments,
is centered around Merwin's Liquors and
Winter Gas Station in north Minneapolis.
Both have since been shut down or been
taken over by community members standing
next to the Hennepin County She,
Minneapolis police chief and
officials from the ATF&amp;.
Lugar says they believe this
strategy will make a difference.
While other cities face chronich
violent crime rates year after ,
that is not who we are.
No one should accept the
violence these gangs inflict as
the new normal in Minneapolis.
Lugar told us that Minneapolis
gangs strengthened and became
more organized since 2020,
which allows them now to
pursue these Rico charges.
Whereas in the past it might not
have been possible because of
disorganization within those gr.
We know a lot of people watching
tonight to be so thankful and he
that this makes a difference.
Well, the majority of the
crime was between those gangs.
Is that the assumption?
Yeah, a lot of it is gang
versus gang violence,
sometimes as little as like somy
disrespecting over social media,
US Attorney Lugar said.
And the arrests aren't over yet.
We're not over yet.
There's that third gang,
The Lows, which also operate
out of north Minneapolis,
and we're expecting A at least
several indictments coming from
that as well. All right. Thank you, Lou. I'm
Jennifer Hoff.
Prosecutors charging those
gang members today are using
what's called the Rico law.
It's a unique tool.
First enacted back in 1970,
It targeted mob bosses at first,
but now both government and civil parties
use it to go after people allegy
involved in a corrupt organizat.
Prosecutors have brought the
same charges against Singer,
R Kelly and even the Hell's Ang.
And in the 90s,
a Minnesota bookstore owner
was put out of business,
accused of racketeering and
selling obscene magazines.
Charges can be pretty severe,
too, up to 20 years in prison ad
thousands of dollars in fines.
I'm Danny Spiewok.
I sat sat down with community
leaders today who told me
they welcome these arrests,
but they know this issue goes
well beyond law enforcement.
I'm seeing it from 12 to 18. Yog
people are way too violent. As president
of the African American Leadersp
Council, Tyrone Terrell has word
in the Twin Cities for decades.
We're trying to get to him youn.
No child comes out of their mots
womb with a pistol in their hand
if we don't have early engageme.
Then this cycle is going to continue. They're
afraid of federal charges.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutos
laid out what can ultimately han
when young people join organized
gangs and become adults, more
than 40 people arrested.
What do you make of that number?
What's your reaction when you hear that?
To be honest, in many ways I'm .
But at the same time,
it's going to also keep the
community safer if the allegatis
against these young men are tru.
In court documents, prosecutors
explained how gangs like the Bls
recruited young members to figh,
shoot or make money to gain res.
These individuals that was
arrested today had a choice.
KG Wilson is another longtime
Twin Cities peace activist.
Sometime kids see this type
of thing going on in their
community and they feel like, O,
maybe I could be a part of thisr
sometime they might be bullied .
This type of activity,
but now they get to see the outcome of it,
and it's not pretty.
Tyrone Terrell says there are many more
organized gang groups than when he started
working in the Twin Cities in the 90s.
But we still have to continue i.
You have to continue to
fight because if we don't,
then we're going to have 40-5 m,
They're going to be going to pr.
And so how can we intervene?
So Danny, what kind of work are these peaks
peace activists doing to intervene early?
Well, Randy, there's a lot of mentorship
work right now and meeting with families.
Tyrone Terrell, for example,
who you just heard from,
is part of a group that is tryig
to intervene with the kids that
have been involved with stealing
cars around the Twin Cities.
And Tyrone Terrell says that the
seeing some positive results sor
with that work that they've don.
All right, Thank you, Danny.
We'll continue to follow the st.
As new details come out,
we'll bring them to you.
Be sure to follow us on air
and online for updates.