More than 200 people pack St. Paul church to fight gun violence

After a violent start to the new year in St. Paul, more than 200 people packed Mount Olivet Baptist Church to hear from federal, state and city law enforcement leaders on their plans to stop gun violence.

St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher and Andrew Folk of the U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota all attended the meeting and told people a combination of prevention, intervention and enforcement are all needed to turn the tide of gun violence in St. Paul.

Alicia Robinson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS her family was victimized by a home invasion in December, and for the first time in 32 years, she doesn't feel entirely safe in her neighborhood.

"I hear gunshots outside the house, or in the neighborhood, at least once a week," said Robinson. "I would like to see more police officers on the street because I think it is the one thing these kids who are doing all this understand."

So far, in January 2020 — compared to January 2019 — homicides, injuries from gunshots and reports of shots fired are all on the rise in St. Paul.

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