FBI Confirms Minneapolis Quagmire - Staggering Increase In Violent Crimes

The FBI has now confirmed, via the Red Star, what Rambix and the Red Star has been reporting since the inception of this blog - violence in Minneapolis has increased at a staggering rate over the past two years. In fact the increase is so out of proportion to our Midwest neighbors and the nation as a whole, one wonders why violent thugs have felt so comfortable to ply their trade in Minneapolis.

Here's a sample from my 2005 year end roundup dated 1/1/06, which documented a plethora of crimes, most of which were played down in the MSM: "2005: The Minneapolis Quagmire - year end roundup".

Rambix and the Red Star was born on April 26th, 2005, in response to a growing, but under-reported crime wave in Minneapolis. Minnesota's largest newspaper, the Red Star (aka Minneapolis Star Tribune) had been, either through neglect, incompetence, or some multiculturalist paradigm, suppressing news of a spate of Uptown, Minneapolis robberies.

The crime wave has not abated, and now we have FBI confirmation as reported by Red Star writers David Chanen and Myron P. Medcalf:

An FBI report to be released Monday will say that violent crime reports in Minneapolis increased more last year than any other Midwest city and that the jump is among the tops in the United States.

The crimes of homicide, rape, aggravated assault and robbery increased by 35 percent from 2004, compared to an average 5 percent increase for cities of similar size to Minneapolis across the nation, according to FBI crime statistics given to interim Police Chief Tim Dolan on Friday. Violent crime rose an average of 2 percent nationwide.

Here's part of my analysis of the problem from my 2005 year end roundup post:

The liberal power structure of Minneapolis, including Mayor Ryback and the dysfunctional City Council, in conjunction with Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar, will blame underfunding of the police, and so on. To some extent that may be true, but they need to look in the mirror for the solution to that issue. The city has a "priority spending" problem; putting tax dollars into nonsensical projects and programs at the expense of police funding.

But police funding is not the only, or even the greatest, problem. The bigger problem is still priorities; not [only] monetary priorities, but social priorities. The socialists tend to criminal's wants and needs before those of the good citizens. They provide "safe harbor" for illegal immigrants, criminals or not. They make it easy and attractive for the worst elements of other states to come to Minnesota and bring their criminal ways with them.

In other words, Minneapolis is an upside-down, dysfunctional coccoon of liberal foolishness, where criminals thrive and good people suffer.

These words are as true today as they they were at the end of 2005, and as they would be at the beginning of 2005.

More from the Red Star:

...according to Minneapolis police data, there were 2,524 reported violent crimes through June 5, up 35 percent from 1,874 at the same time last year. And serious crime, which includes violent crimes plus burglaries, theft and arson, is up 19 percent.

I'll ask these tired questions again and again, because no answer has been forthcoming: Where are these thugs coming from? What draws them to Minneapolis? Why aren't they prosecuted mercilessly and thrown into prison with meaningful sentences?

The following quote should immediately disqualify Acting Chief Dolan from the permanent Chief position, but we know the city "leaders" will probably see this as a positive:

What has been driving the increase in violent crimes in recent years is a significant spike in robberies and aggravated assaults, mostly by juveniles, Dolan said. The 48 homicides last year was actually a decrease from the previous year.

"What's causing the increase? You can't put your finger on one thing," he said.

It could be a lack of officers or not enough funding for afterschool and truancy programs and social services for teens, he said. There are also economic issues and "just too many guns on the streets," he said.

This approach spells doom for the city. I ask only this: How have the gun buybacks and the myriad social programs been working for you so far?

Once again, I point you toward some real solutions offered by Rambix reader Nordeaster: "Minneapolis Crime Solutions".