The changing nature of homicide in the Twin Cities before, during, and after the pandemic and the murder of George Floyd

• In Event: Gun Violence and Homicide in the United States: Collaborative, Mixed-methods Approaches

Abstract

During the pandemic years, murder increased dramatically across the United States, but especially in Minnesota, which also experienced the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day 2020. This paper shares findings from a mixed-methods study examining police records and media reports for over 650 murders that took place in Hennepin and Ramsey counties from 2018-2022 to understand what drove the homicide spike in the Twin Cities, including changes in policing, the role of mental health, domestic violence, gang involvement, and who the perpetrators and victims of these homicides were. We discuss the impact of the police murder of George Floyd on fatal violence and examine the spatial and social heterogeneity of the effect. Based on interviews with incarcerated perpetrators, we further examine the complex pathways that lead to homicide and possible solutions to fatal violence informed by the people directly impacted.

Authors

• Jillian Peterson, Violence Prevention Project

• James Densley, Metropolitan State University

• Ryan Larson, Hamline University

• Jaycee Manchi, Hamline University

• N Jeanie Santaularia, University of Washington

• Christopher Uggen, University of Minnesota

• Christopher E. Robertson, University of Minnesota