Town Hall meeting draws Northsiders frustrated with ongoing gun violence

Sharrie Jennings, whose grandson survived a gunshot wound to the head last year, said she was frustrated by the Minneapolis police’s inability to find the shooters. Photo by Emily Gutierrez

By Amelia Hager and Gaojia Xiong, North News interns

The topic of gun violence took precedence when U.S Rep. Ilhan Omar hosted a town hall at North Community High School Thursday. 

Omar, whose Fifth District includes North Minneapolis, and panelists gathered to discuss abortion rights and gun violence prevention. Last week, a bi-partisan gun safety bill that tightens guns laws passed and was seen as a critical step forward.

Panelists also lamented the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that same week to overturn Roe v. Wade, which now severely limits a woman’s right to make decisions about her reproductive health.

The panel included U.S Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois, Sasha Cotton of the city's Office of Violence Prevention, state Rep. Cedrick Frazier, Jerome Treadwell of the Minnesota Teen Activist organization, and two family members of Deshaun Hill Jr., a North High student who was shot to death while walking from school in February. 

Northsiders in the audience expressed the exhaustion of trauma and the growing list of victims from gun violence. They demanded accountability and were frustrated with government’s limits to curbing the violence. 

When asked by North News reporters what Northsiders can do to help with prevention, Omar said, "Continue to raise your voices and for us, demand transparency.”

U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar organized a town hall meeting that took place Thursday at North High School. Photo by Emily Gutierrez