Do You Feel Safe in Burnsville?

Burnsville police, the Dakota County attorney and others met with more than 200 people last week to tell them that they’ve heard the concern about high-profile cases that have happened over the past few months, the Star Tribune reported.

The community saw an especially violent close to the summer this year:

• The death of 4-year-old Keyontay Miller-Peterson in June was ruled a homicide in July.
• Abdifatah Ahmed Mahumod, 23, died in an August shooting that also wounded another man.
• Palagor Obang Jobi, 23, died of multiple gunshot wounds from a Sept. 22 shooting at Nina’s Grill. In a related incident, Burnsville college student Anarae Schunk, 20, went missing that same night and was found dead Sept. 31.

Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Burnsville’s crime rate is middle of the pack for comparably sized cities—although Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said violent crime, much of it drug related, is increasing in the county.

Still, Police Chief Eric Gieseke emphasized that the “Burnsville Police Department does care.”

Check out the full story on what officials had to say and then share your thoughts in the comments section below about how you feel.