Jacob Frey

A Minneapolis City Council committee voted 9-3 to advance a proposal disbanding the Office of Community Safety (OCS), created by Mayor Jacob Frey in 2022 after voters rejected replacing the police department with a new public safety agency. A full council vote could come as soon as Thursday. Supporters, including Council President Elliott Payne, say the office muddled the chain of command between the mayor and police chief; critics call the move reckless and warn it would boost MPD's influence while sidelining alternative response programs. Eliminating the commissioner role would save about $2 million amid a budget crunch, though OCS initiatives like unarmed mental-health crisis response would continue under the mayor's office.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey praised Somali migrants as the "CEOs of the future" at a Somali Networking Night event, saying the community's entrepreneurship was a reason it has faced federal scrutiny. Frey said the Trump administration "came after" the Somali community earlier in the year, framing the criticism as a reaction to growing Somali-led business success in the city.

The remarks follow comments by President Trump in January alleging roughly $19 billion in Somali-related fraud involving federal funds in states including Minnesota, California, and Illinois, and vowing to cut related funding. The claims gained attention after citizen journalists, including Nick Shirley, publicized investigations into Minnesota childcare centers that received federal aid but showed little evidence of operating with children present.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are taking different approaches to autonomous vehicle policy as companies like Waymo eye expansion into the Twin Cities. On Oct. 1, the Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance 7-6 requiring a licensed human safety monitor inside driverless rideshare vehicles, with immediate access to steering, braking and acceleration, plus minimum wage pay for the monitor and a city licensing requirement for AV companies. The measure would make Minneapolis the first U.S. city with such a rule. Waymo called it a "de-facto ban," and Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed it, arguing thoughtful safety regulation shouldn't function as a backdoor ban. Council member Robin Wonsley said she would pursue a worker-focused resolution if the veto override fails.

St. Paul took a more cautious route, with its City Council voting Oct. 14 to study how driverless cars could affect public transit, rideshare drivers, people with disabilities, public safety and emergency response before crafting any rules. No timeline exists for the study, for Waymo's potential Minneapolis launch, or for whether Minneapolis has the nine votes needed to override Frey's veto.

A gunman who fatally shot two people and wounded several others, including three police officers, at the Shoreline Plaza apartment building in Minneapolis on Wednesday has been identified by a city official as Carlton Neal Johnson II, 35, who was also killed. Investigators had not confirmed how he died as of Wednesday night. Court records show Johnson was facing eviction from the subsidized building over accusations he assaulted a resident and threatened others while displaying a firearm; a June letter from the building's lawyer cited statements that he had obtained a new gun and "would kill someone." A separate 2023 restraining-order filing accused him of sending a woman over 120 threatening text messages.

Police arrived within minutes of the first 911 call and found more victims and gunfire on an upper floor. Officials say officers' rapid response likely prevented greater loss of life. No motive has been disclosed, and the investigation is being led by Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has declined to file felony charges against Edward "Jake" Lang stemming from an incident in front of Minneapolis City Hall during a protest. Lang, previously imprisoned for his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot before being pardoned by Donald Trump, was arrested on probable cause of riot after clashes between his security detail and demonstrators. County Attorney Mary Moriarty said a review of evidence showing communication and coordination between the Minneapolis Police Department and Lang's security detail made it impossible to prove felony intent beyond a reasonable doubt, though she called his conduct "despicable and disgusting." An officer was injured helping a bystander during the incident but was treated and released.

The decision has fueled backlash from left-wing activists and organizers, who accuse Minneapolis police and Mayor Jacob Frey of protecting Lang while cracking down on counter-protesters, with some calling for Frey's resignation. Misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges from the city attorney remain possible.