Community members are sharing their thoughts after Wednesday’s federal indictment of nearly four dozen Minneapolis gang members.

It’s a sigh of relief for many, but some in the community explained the news is bittersweet.

“The last couple of years have been tough,” said Gloria Howard, a victim of gun violence in north Minneapolis.

Two years ago, Howard became a different person.

“Sometimes I don’t go out and be as bold if there’s huge crowds because I’m always thinking, ‘Are they going to start shooting in the crowd? Will I get hit?’” she said.

In June 2021, Howard was volunteering for 21 Days of Peace, a group dedicated to curbing violence in Minneapolis.

She was stationed in the Merwyn Liquors parking lot on West Broadway when gunshots rang out.

“I was struck on my rear. I had multiple gunshot wounds that came out on my abdomen, and I fell, of course,” she said.

But today, she’s still standing and doing her best to move forward.

Howard is one of many victims caught in the crossfire of gang violence in Minneapolis.

On Wednesday, authorities announced 45 members of two separate gangs in Minneapolis are off the streets and facing federal charges. They’re facing racketeering charges, meaning they can all be prosecuted together.

“I’m very happy that at least that many is off the streets,” Howard said. “That’s 45 less that we have to worry about.”

Bishop Richard Howell of Shiloh Temple International Ministries has been a community leader in north Minneapolis for decades.

He explained he has mixed emotions about the situation.

“One minute, I’m happy, but the next minute, I’m sad,” he said. “People rejoicing about yesterday’s announcement. They feel now that the community is safer now to walk on the streets. I get that. What’s going to happen to these young people? What’s going to happen to their ability to get rehabilitation?”

He said he’s worried about more kids being caught in the cycle of violence.

On Monday, federal investigators said the gangs are persuading new recruits as young as 12 years old to fight, shoot or make money through drug sales.

Howell explained he’s a believer in second chances.

“We all deserve a second chance, right? I don’t think that this should be the end of anybody’s life. As long as they’re living, there’s hope,” Howell said.

Howard explained the arrests are a step in the right direction and a start to accountability.

“I think it’s time for them to be held accountable for all of the innocent lives,” she said. “They need to be accountable for that because they are changing people’s lives. This is serious.”

Howard said she’s writing a book to help people heal who are affected by gun violence. The goal is for the book to be written and available this fall.