MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Uvalde volunteer groups are offering Minneapolis extra patrols after the Annunciation mass shooting, but the city's police do not plan to coordinate with the groups.
Uvalde group offers patrols to Minneapolis
What we know:
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids wrote a letter to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) offering extra volunteer patrols for the city in the aftermath of the Annunciation shooting.
In the letter, the nonprofit says its intiaitive "StopNow" is ready to send their volunteer patrols to Minneapolis to provide extra safety to schools, including Annunciation.
The foundation says it is seeking a "collaborative partnership with MPD" to coordinate patrol routes and times, and noted they would like to work alongside MPD's officers, not replace them.
According to the letter, the patrols usually operate off school campuses, and work in the surrounding blocks before and after school. The patrols are made up of volunteers like parents, retired military personnel and community members.
The nonprofit says the patrols are trained in "situational awareness, conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques." The patrol is uniformed and focuses on non-confrontational tactics to ensure public safety.
MPD's response
What they're saying:
MPD told FOX 9 they were not aware of the Uvalde Foundation's plans for patrols, and currently do not plan to coordinate with the volunteer patrols.
The Uvalde volunteer patrols have not yet been sent to Minneapolis, but the nonprofit says that initial patrols will surround Annunciation and will not go onto church or school property unless invited by school officials.
What we don't know:
It is not clear when or if the nonprofit will send patrols to Minneapolis.
What is the Uvalde Foundation for Kids?
Dig deeper:
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids is a nonprofit organization that has a goal of student advocacy and violence prevention, according to the organization's website.
The nonprofit formed after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 students and two teachers in May 2022.
Annunciation mass shooting: What happened
The backstory:
At 8:27 a.m. on Aug. 27, the first 911 calls came in and several law enforcement agencies responded to a report of a shooting at the Annunciation Church and Catholic School in south Minneapolis.
A shooter dressed in black approached the outside of the church and opened fire through the stained-glass windows toward children sitting in the pews during mass on their first week back at school.
The shooter was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, and shot off more than 100 rounds. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said police recovered three shotgun shells and 116 rifle rounds, as well as one live round that was recovered from a handgun that appears to have malfunctioned. Authorities do not believe the shooter ever entered the church before the shooter died by suicide in the parking lot.
First responders arrived at the scene at 8:31 a.m. and rescued children hiding throughout the church. O'Hara said an officer ran into the church with no helmet or gear.
"The parishioner later told me that was the first time that he, the children and others there had any sense that they might be safe and survive," O'Hara said of the officer running into the church.
Read more about the Annunciation mass shooting:
- What we know so far - Aug. 28 updates
- What we know about the victims
- What’s known about shooting suspect Robin Westman
- Victim recalls ‘super scary’ attack during mass
- Emergency audio reveals medical response, injuries
- How you can help
- Search warrant reveals new details about the shooter
- What we know about the shooter's motive
- All stories related to the Annunciation Church and School shootin