Duluth chief calls recent youth gun violence spike unusual

From July 3 through July 9, four incidents involving teenagers or young adults and weapons left at least one person injured in each case, Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa said.

In a July 7 joint statement, Mayor Roger Reinert and Ceynowa said police had viable leads in each case and saw no evidence that the shootings were connected. Reinert urged residents to call 911 when they see something and pressed gun owners to lock, store and secure firearms so children and other unauthorized people cannot reach them. The city posted an update on the July 6 Canal Park shooting on July 8.

Ceynowa said the answer cannot be police work alone. He pointed parents toward the Valley Youth Center, Neighborhood Youth Services, Family Freedom Center and the Boys and Girls Club of the Northland as places that can give teenagers structure and positive activity, and he urged adults to pay close attention to who young people are spending time with and what they are seeing on social media. The chief said the department has seen violence spikes before, often involving people ages 16 to 20.

A July 13 case in Canal Park left an 18-year-old Duluth man facing charges after an alleged knife attack near the Slip Bridge, where a man’s left ear was cut. Youth violence is the intentional use of physical force or power by people ages 10 to 24. Prevention works best through community-centered efforts that connect parents, families and local organizations. Firearm injuries were the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1 to 19 in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ceynowa, named chief in September 2022, said the Duluth Police Department is still working toward an authorized strength of 153 sworn officers while relying on Blue Print for Safety, the Mental Health Co-Responder Team and the Substance Use Response Team.