Minneapolis is a city of neighborhoods. You’ve got the leafy, quiet streets near Lake Harriet and then the bustling, gritty energy of West Broadway. But lately, when people talk about the "Mini-Apple," the conversation shifts pretty quickly to the street dynamics that most locals only see in news snippets or hear in distant sirens. Honestly, if you’re looking at gangs in Minneapolis MN, the picture today looks a lot different than it did even five years ago.
It isn't just about "colors" anymore.
Gone are the days when you could just point to a red or blue bandana and know the whole story. The landscape has fractured. It's more about "cliques" and "sets" tied to specific blocks or even specific apartment buildings. We’re seeing a massive shift from the old-school, top-down hierarchies of the 1990s to a hyper-local, decentralized mess that makes law enforcement’s job a total nightmare.
The Highs and the Lows: A Tale of Two Sides
If you want to understand the current friction, you have to look at North Minneapolis. Specifically, the divide created by West Broadway Avenue. This isn't some abstract rivalry; it’s a literal geographic split that has defined violence in the city for the better part of two decades.
The "Highs"
The Highs generally claim the territory north of West Broadway. They’ve been around since about 2008, and federal prosecutors recently took a massive swing at them. In 2025, we saw the culmination of a huge RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) case. Guys like Dantrell Johnson and Gregory Hamilton were handed life sentences. The feds proved they weren't just a group of kids; they were a structured enterprise running fentanyl markets and enforcing their "turf" with extreme violence.
The "Lows"
Then you have the Lows, who operate south of Broadway. They’ve been active since 2004. They’re the "natural" enemies of the Highs. While the Highs were getting hit in court, the Lows weren't far behind. By late 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office added more names to a superseding indictment—fourteen members in total—linked to at least ten murders.
It’s a cycle. One side gets hit by the feds, the other side tries to expand, and the violence spikes until the next round of indictments.
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Why the "Bloods" and "Crips" Label is Misleading
You’ll still hear people throw around the names Bloods and Crips. And yeah, they exist. The Minneapolis Bloods have been around for decades, mostly controlling spots on the South Side, especially around Chicago Avenue and 38th Street.
But here’s the thing: it’s rarely a "Blood vs. Crip" war like you’d see in a movie.
Most of the violence today is "intra-gang" or based on personal beefs that spiral out of control. You might have one set of Bloods—like the Rolling 60s Grimey—getting into it with another group over something as small as a social media post. Seriously. A lot of the shootings in 2024 and 2025 started as "clout-chasing" on Instagram or TikTok.
- The South Side: Dominated by various Bloods sets, but heavily impacted by the fallout of the 2020 unrest.
- The North Side: A patchwork of Highs, Lows, and independent crews.
- The New Players: Smaller, younger crews with names like "3AK" (Third Avenue Killers) or "Shadow Mob" are popping up, and they don't follow the "OG" rules.
The 2025/2026 Shift: Operation Metro Surge and Federal Heat
If you live in the Twin Cities right now, you’ve probably noticed the vibe has changed. It’s 2026, and the federal government has stepped in with a heavy hand. Operation Metro Surge kicked off in late 2025, and it has been... controversial, to say the least.
We’re talking about thousands of federal agents—DHS, ICE, FBI—flooding the streets.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara recently shared that major crime dropped in 2025. Shootings were down by about 50 compared to the previous year. Carjackings, which were a literal epidemic in 2023, fell by a third. That sounds like a win, right? But it’s complicated.
While the numbers are down, the incidents that do happen are getting more lethal. We saw seven mass shootings in 2025 alone. One of the most heartbreaking was the August tragedy at Annunciation Church. It’s like the city is safer on paper, but the "body count," as University of Minnesota sociologists have noted, remains stubbornly high because everyone is carrying high-capacity magazines and "switches" that turn handguns into fully automatic weapons.
Beyond the Streets: Fraud and Fentanyl
Gangs in Minneapolis MN aren't just about "turf" anymore. The money has changed.
Sure, fentanyl is the primary engine. It’s everywhere. In the Highs' RICO trial, evidence showed they turned the intersection of Broadway and Lyndale into an open-air market. But there's also a massive rise in "white-collar" gang crime.
We're talking about sophisticated fraud, identity theft, and pandemic-era relief scams that provided a huge influx of cash to these groups. That money buys better guns, better lawyers, and more influence.
The Cultural Complexity
We also have to talk about the Somali gangs. Groups like the 14ers or Madhibaan with Attitude have been part of the conversation for years, but they are often unfairly lumped into a single category. Most of the friction involving these groups is isolated within specific neighborhoods in Cedar-Riverside or South Minneapolis. Interestingly, in the last year, some of these dynamics have shifted as newer immigrant groups move in, creating a very fluid and sometimes volatile "melting pot" of street politics.
What is Actually Being Done?
Is it just about arresting people? Not exactly.
Minneapolis has been trying to balance "heavy policing" with "community violence intervention" (CVI). You’ve got groups like the Minnesota Peace Boxers and various street outreach teams trying to de-escalate beefs before the guns come out.
- Operation Endeavor: This was the city’s big push to use data to put cops where the crime is. It worked for a while—gunshot victims dropped by 30% in its first 90 days.
- Federal RICO Cases: U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger has made it clear: he’s treating street gangs like the Mafia. By using RICO, they can lock up the leaders for life, not just the kids on the corner.
- G.R.E.A.T. Programs: There’s a renewed focus on middle schools. If you don't reach these kids by age 12, the "set" down the street will.
Actionable Insights: What You Can Do
If you’re a resident or just someone worried about the trajectory of the city, staying informed is the first step. Don't rely on "neighborhood watch" Facebook groups that often trade in rumors and exaggeration.
Look at the Minneapolis Crime Dashboard. It’s updated daily and gives you a real-time look at what’s actually happening in your precinct.
Support local youth mentorship programs. The most effective "gang prevention" isn't a handcuffs; it's a job or a mentor. Programs like Urban League Twin Cities or local community centers are always looking for volunteers or funding.
Lastly, understand that the city is in a state of flux. We are seeing the "old guard" of gangs being dismantled by the feds, but that creates a vacuum. How the city fills that vacuum—whether with more police, more DHS agents, or more community investment—will determine what the 2027 headlines look like.
Keep your eyes open, but don't let the headlines convince you the whole city is a war zone. It’s a complex, evolving situation that requires a more nuanced look than just "good guys vs. bad guys."
The best way to stay safe is to know your neighborhood. Get to know your neighbors. A connected block is much harder for a gang to "claim" than a block where everyone stays behind locked doors.
Next Steps for You:
- Check the MPD Crime Map for your specific zip code to see recent activity trends.
- Look into the Office of Community Safety to see how your neighborhood can get involved in the next "Safe Streets" initiative.