There has been a reported increase in gun violence, particularly at night in the area of Minneapolis where George Floyd died, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
Police officers have avoided the four-block radius of South Minneapolis where Floyd died, the Times reported. The area contains murals and a garden around a raised fist sculpture, and the words “I can’t breathe” are painted alongside the names of other black victims of police violence on the street, according to the Times.
“What people aren’t recognizing is that people who live there are having a very, very challenging time from the unlawfulness that is occurring after the sun goes down,” City Council Member Andrea Jenkins said, the Times reported. “There are constant gunshots every night.”
“Emergency vehicles can’t get in,” she continued. “Disabled people are not able to access their medications, their appointments, their food deliveries, et cetera. It’s a very challenging situation.”
Teen gunned down near George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis https://t.co/Q5Vwl86tZj pic.twitter.com/dgxxyaUMJh
— New York Post (@nypost) July 24, 2020
Ms. Dawkins, a mother of two who lives down the street from where Floyd died, said that during the day the environment is fine, but that she doesn’t feel safe at night, the Times reported.
“But when the other crowd comes at night, I can’t call the police, and that scares the hell out of me,” Dawkins said, the Times reported. “We have kids in this home, so I do want police to protect families … It’s a hard balance. I’m happy this incident brought change, but I want to feel safe.”
Dr. Jackie Kawiecki, who constructed a medic station to treat injured protesters, said night and day in the area where Floyd died is “very different.”
“My nighttime world, after sunset, I have taken care of double gunshot wounds, drug overdoses,” Kawiecki said, the Times reported. She limited the station hours after evading gunfire herself and after a pregnant woman was killed.
Nationwide protests have persisted since Floyd died in May after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during his arrest, video shows.
