After students were shot in Dinkytown, more police to patrol U of M area

More officers from the Minneapolis Police Department and the University of Minnesota's police force will begin patrolling Dinkytown this week in an effort to crack down on violent crime in the area.

Five people were shot near the corner of 14th Avenue Southeast and 4th Street Southeast in Dinkytown Friday night. Three of the victims were U students, university President Joan Gabel confirmed Monday. All five suffered noncritical gunshot wounds, two of the victims were grazed by bullets and all were taken by ambulance to local hospitals.

"We are working around the clock to ensure that every member of our University family feels safe and supported in every sense of those words, even amidst these alarming incidents and trends," Gabel wrote in a message to students and employees. "We know we must do more to address crime in the surrounding neighborhoods."

Crime near campus has surged recently, much of it happening in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood that borders the university. Just last month, there were 15 robberies, 15 car thefts and 11 aggravated assaults reported in the neighborhood, according to the U's Office for Off-Campus Living. In many of the recent robberies, suspects brandished firearms and assaulted victims.

In March, a boy was killed and a man injured in a late-night shooting near Burrito Loco in Dinkytown.

Gabel outlined several steps the university is taking to increase safety near campus.

Minneapolis police will be "much more present and visible" in the area during late-night hours, Gabel said. The University of Minnesota Police Department will pay its officers overtime to patrol Dinkytown and the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood. Both police departments will install mobile surveillance cameras in the area.

The U will aim to install additional security cameras throughout the summer and will work with the city of Minneapolis to seek additional street lighting in Dinkytown. The school is also considering creating a safety ambassador program in which citizens would help patrol the area, Gabel said.

In the coming days, Gabel said, the university will share more details of efforts that will include partnering with the city, community groups and local businesses to foster community safety.

"As your President — and also the mother of a college student — I want you to know that the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is the highest priority for me," Gabel said.

Ryan Faircloth • 612-673-4234

Twitter: @ryanfaircloth