Minnesota law enforcement officials say social media attention and âshowboatingâ are contributing to a recent rise in violence involving some Somali youth gangs in the MinneapolisâSt. Paul area.
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher addressed the issue during a livestream after several shootings over the Fourth of July weekend. According to Fox 9 Minneapolis, Fletcher said some of the incidents were connected to groups of Somali teenagers and young adults believed to be involved in gang activity.
Fletcher pointed to a gathering at Juice Time in Arden Hills as an example. He said roughly 300 Somali young people were at the location and that law enforcement officers were present to prevent problems.
âThere were 300 Somali kids there, and some of them were gangsters,â Fletcher said. âWe had a number of us law enforcement officers there that curtailed their activity, but two hours later, they were shooting someone in northeast Minneapolis, same group.â
The Ramsey County Sheriffâs Office did not respond to a request for additional comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Authorities told Fox 9 that these youth gangs began receiving greater attention around 2022. Investigators believe online recognition, personal rivalries, and the desire to build a reputation on social media are major factors behind the violence.
Ramsey County Sheriffâs Office investigator Benjamin Seidl said the activity does not always resemble traditional organized crime, which is often centered on drug trafficking or financial profit. Instead, he said many of the conflicts appear to be driven by pride, image, and the desire to impress others.
âFrom what Iâve seen right now, itâs all about showboating,â Seidl said. âItâs all about ego for 99% of it. They arenât selling narcotics. Itâs all about just gloating.â
Law enforcement officials estimate that about a dozen such groups are operating across several Minnesota communities, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Apple Valley and Burnsville.
During the livestream, Fletcher estimated that violence involving Somali gangs had resulted in 14 homicides and more than 100 shootings over the previous two years. CBS News also reported on those figures. It was not immediately clear whether the numbers came from a formal public report or an internal law enforcement review.
Fletcherâs comments drew criticism from Minneapolis City Council Vice President Jamal Osman, who said broad public statements about Somali youth risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
âSomali youth deserve investment, dignity, opportunity, and respect, not public officials using their platform to stereotype them,â Osman said, according to CBS.
Osman, who immigrated to the United States from Somalia, argued that officials should focus on prevention, community support, and opportunities for young people rather than describing the problem in a way that could stigmatize an entire population.
The disagreement highlights the challenge officials face when discussing crime within a particular ethnic community. Law enforcement agencies may need to identify specific patterns, individuals, and groups involved in violence, but community leaders warn that careless language can make thousands of uninvolved residents feel as though they are being blamed.
Minnesota is home to one of the largest Somali populations in the United States. Nearly 80,000 Somali residents live in the state, and a large majority are concentrated in Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to Minnesota Compass. The stateâs Somali immigrant population also grew between 2020 and 2024.
Those population figures provide context, but they do not suggest that Somali youth generally are involved in criminal activity. The allegations described by authorities concern a small number of suspected gang members within a much larger community.
The dispute now centers on how local leaders should respond. Police officials are emphasizing the role of online feuds, status-seeking, and retaliatory violence. Community advocates, meanwhile, are calling for more youth programs, employment opportunities, intervention efforts, and careful public messaging.