PUBLIC UTILITY RATE HIKES, AND CHAT THROUGH THE WEEK IN POLITICS WITH OUR POLI-SCI PROFESSORS.

>> ERIC: BUT WE START THE HOUR WITH A CONVERSATION ABOUT MASS SHOOTINGS.

MINNEAPOLIS HAS HAD SEVERAL DEADLY SHOOTINGS IN THE LAST MONTH, INCLUDING THE ONE AT ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL THAT LEFT TWO CHILDREN DEAD.

THIS WEEK, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE ARRESTED A SUSPECT AND TWO ACCOMPLICES IN THE SHOOTING NEAR CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL THAT KILLED ANOTHER PERSON.

AND LAST WEEK, TWO SHOOTINGS AT ENCAMPMENTS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TOOK YET ANOTHER LIFE.

THE SHOOTINGS HAVE RESULTED IN MORE THAN TWO DOZEN INJURED VICTIMS.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOOTINGS, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE CHIEF BRIAN O’HARA.

WELCOME BACK.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

I MEAN, IT SEEMS OVERLOAD.

>> IT'S BEEN A ROUGH FEW WEEKS FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY.

OBVIOUSLY THE ANNUNCIATION CHURCH SHOOTING OF SCHOOL CHILDREN WAS ESPECIALLY HORRIFIC.

BUT THAT WAS A YPICAL PATHWAY TO A MASS SHOOTING OF A SHOOTER THAT WAS LOOKING TO CAUSE AN ESPECIALLY TRAUMATIC INCIDENT JUST TO GET THEMSELVES NOTORIETY SO THAT'S KIND OF SEPARATE FROM THE OTHER INCIDENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH AND JUST QUITE FRANKLY A NUMBER OF THEM ARE ELATED O NARCOTICS DISTRIBUTION AND DISPUTES OVER THE DRUG TRADE AND WHO'S GOING TO HAVE TURF WHERE TO BE ABLE TO SELL DRUGS.

THAT'S FUELED A LOT OF IT.

WE HAVE MADE ARRESTS DIMLY.

WE HAVE A SHOOTER IN CUSTODY AND N ACCOMPLICE.

AND E'RE MAKING PROGRESS IDENTIFYING ADDITIONAL SHOOTERS.

SO IT'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN KIND OF A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND AGAIN, A LOT OF IS BEING DRIVEN BY DISPUTES OVER THE DRUG TRADE.

GHSES I'M WONDERING, I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE SCHOOL FOR JUST A MOMENT.

ANNUNCIATION OF COURSE WAS HORRIFIC.

BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO THREATENED TO SHOOT UP AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MINNEAPOLIS.

DO YOU HAVE SQUADS OUT AT SCHOOLS JUST PATROLLING OR HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO KEEP THE KIDS SAFE?

>> WELL, INITIALLY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE HAD ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE PATROL, AND THE ENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF AND SOME OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES TO HAVE A REALLY SUSTAINED AND VERY, VERY VISIBLE PRESENCE AS SCHOOLS BEGAN.

WE DO NOT AVE POLICE OFFICERS ASSIGNED AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE TRIED TO INCREASE AS BEST WE CAN PRESENCE AROUND SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS STILL VERY MUCH IN PARENTS' MINDS.

>> Cathy: I NEED TO ASK YOU TOO ABOUT THE ANNUNCIATION SHOOTING FOR JUST A MOMENT.

HOW'S LIEUTENANT RYAN KELLY DOING?

I MEAN, HE WAS TRULY A HERO IN THAT WHOLE HORRIBLE SITUATION.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY HERO WRIK.

HEROIC AND IT'S A BLESSING FROM GOD THAT HE WAS THE PERSON ON DUTY AND CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET THERE FIRST BECAUSE HE HAS VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AS ACOMB BAT MEDIC AND ALSO AS A POLICE OFFICER.

AND HE'S THE ONE THAT PARENTS AND OTHERS TOLD ME WHEN THEY SAW HIM IN WITH GENTLEMEN SWAT GEAR ON AND JUST A HANDGUN ASKING WHERE THE SHOOTER WAS, RUNNING DIRECTLY TOWARDS WHERE THE SHOOTER WAS, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HAD ANY SENSE THAT THEY MIGHT SURVIVE THE INCIDENT.

HE'S BACK AT WORK AND I CANNOT STATE ENOUGH HOW INCREDIBLE OF A JOB HE DID LEADING THAT RESPONSE.

FROM THE TIME HE GOT THERE, UNTIL THE TIME THE LAST KID WAS TREATED BY A POLICE OFFICER AND PLACED INTO AN AMBULANCE WAS 14 MINUTES.

AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY UNHEARD OF IN A MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF NOT JUST THE COPS RESPONDING, BUT IT'S HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS DIRECTION ON THE SEEN THAT MADE THAT POSSIBLE.

>> Eric: I WANT TO GO TO 30,000 FEET AND ASK YOU WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS THE SOCIAL FABRIC JUST IN GENERAL IN THE UNITED STATES FRAYING AT THE EDGES HERE A LITTLE BIT?

OR -- >> WELL, CERTAINLY, THE TROUBLE THAT WE SEE WITH FENTANYL, AS POWERFUL AS A DRUG THAT IS, 50 TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN ENTANYL, THAT IS CAUSING A LOT OF TROUBLE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM THAT ADDICTION AS WELL AS PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM, SELLING THAT DRUG, AND IT'S CAUSING AS PEOPLE SEE PARTICULARLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE IN MINNEAPOLIS RECENTLY, JUST LEVELS OF NOT JUST CRIME, BUT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING PEOPLE'S LIVES.

>> Cathy: AND THEN OF COURSE YOU'VE GOT GUNS.

AND EASY ACCESS TO GUNS.

>> FAR TOO MANY GUNS ON THE STREET.

THAT ARE ILLEGAL.

PEOPLE POSSESSING THEM, JUST LIKE THIS SHOOTER WE JUST ARRESTED FOR THE SHOOTING AT THE SABRI ENCAMPMENT IS FROM ILLINOIS WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS.

PEOPLE HO ARE ANOTHER ALLOWED TO POSSESS GUNS, JUVENILES AND PEOPLE POSSESSING WEAPONS UNLAWFULLY.

>> Eric: ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST WEEK IS THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS NOT GOING TO BE CHARGING FELONY CASES BASED ON TRAFFIC STOPS.

I WONDER ON THE FORCE THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA, BAD IDEA?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A NON-ISSUE FOR MINNEAPOLIS BECAUSE OF THE POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND THE CONSENT DECREE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE.

AND JUST QUITE FRANKLY, IN MINNEAPOLIS, EVEN BEFORE THIS, STOPS SIMPLY FOR AN EQUIPMENT VIOLATION ONLY WERE VERY, VERY SMALL.

A FRACTION OF OVERALL TRAFFIC STOPS THAT OFFICERS WERE MAKING.

>> Cathy: SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME CLIPS COMING UP HERE FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS MAYORAL DEBATES TODAY, AND THREE CANDIDATES SEEMED TO LIKE YOU WELL ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU IF THEY WIN.

I KNOW WE DON'T KNOW OF COURSE WHO'S GOING TO WIN AT THIS POINT.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.

>> BECAUSE MY TERM ENDS, SO IT TAKES WHOEVER IS THE MAYOR THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO NOMINATE ME FOR ANOTHER TERM AND THEN WHOEVER IS ON THE COUNCIL, A MAJORITY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP ME.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I COULD STAY.

AND CERTAINLY I'M THANKFUL TO HEAR THAT SOME OTHER CANDIDATES OTHER THAN MAYOR FREY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KEEPING ME BECAUSE I DO LOVE BEING A POLICE OFFICER IN MINNEAPOLIS.

IT IS A DIFFICULT JOB.

ESPECIALLY BEING THE HIEF.

BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY REWARDING.

AND I DO THINK STABILITY AND CONTINUITY IS WHAT THE CITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW.

>> Eric: GOT TO LEAVE IT THERE.

APPRECIATE IT, CHIEF.