Well--that didn't take long. This is what the neighbors of Linwood Rec Center
deal with in the Summer months.
Sunday evening 5/6 everyone showed up and started fighting at in the
ballfields. After a while, the group moved to the street (Deubner), where the
fighting continued. Large pieces of asphalt were used as weapons, as well as
pieces from a metal table from behind the apartment building. I didn't see
what occurred behind the building, but my neighbors indicated there was a girl
on the ground being beaten by multiple people (she was the bloodiest of the
injuries).
The window on a neighbor's Nissan Altima was smashed during the melee. A
moving car had its side-mirror hit off with something. Another car tried to
drive down Deubner, but met the crowd and had to back up on to St. Clair under
threat of violence.
The fighting went on (and off) for probably 20 minutes (very conservative
estimate) before one officer showed up. He indicated he wasn't dispatched, but
self-dispatched. When I called the police earlier (after the fighting had
started) and spoke to the dispatch (Ramsey County dispatch facilitates SPPD),
they had already had "notes" on it indicating people had already called. I
mentioned there was someone on the ground being kicked, but apparently that
wasn't enough to get some squads out there. In speaking to my neighbors, three
others had also called the police, yet 20 minutes later, we are all just
watching the mayhem, without a squad in sight.
The sole officer who arrived was helpful, but there was nothing he could do.
The girl whose face was completely bloody apparently didn't want to name
anyone. The officer mentioned if you have video documentation, get it in front
of our city council person and they can push on the police chief.
On the bright side, there was no gun-play, though after having seen a few of
these, it is only a matter of time before someone is run over from the
onslaught of cars often coming and going amongst the chaos. I get that some of
this is just being teens, but this is also a community center/playground for
families to enjoy.
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