Dixie From Downtown on issues facing downtown Minneapolis
·9 min
Mike Max opens the episode by addressing frequent questions about safety in Minneapolis, emphasizing the difficulty of understanding the situation without firsthand experience. He introduces Dixie, a volunteer he met years ago who is in the middle of it all, trying to keep things safe and understand the vibe. Dixie joins via the John Schuster Caldwell Banker Hotline. They discuss how hot weather brings out kids, teenagers, and people wanting a good time downtown, leading to incidents like bottle-throwing and noise pops that escalate quickly. Dixie recounts a shooting near Delunos where someone was killed, followed by a memorial that was shot up, with people chasing each other with guns like playing tag. He mentions a police officer who was assaulted and caught the suspect, but notes a lack of care for safety. Dixie describes an incident near WCCO-TV where a man allegedly shot someone and threw the gun from a balcony onto WCCO's roof, with blood on the weapon. When asked what he looks for to prevent escalation, Dixie points to crowds, people wearing masks like ski masks in 90-degree heat, which raises his antennas. He cites an example of kids attacking a guy on a bus on Nicollet, with police intervening but kids knowing they won't be touched. Dixie explains that police often don't intervene in drug deals because it's not worth the risk of becoming the bad guy in seconds, as they prioritize life-threatening situations like guns. He references the incident on 138th and Chicago as an example of escalation. Dixie talks about his role as a voice of reason, using his street credibility to de-escalate by warning people about jail time over weekends. He describes seeing teenage moms with kids in bus stops at 11:30 PM, playing music, getting high, and drinking, while he cleans up paraphernalia to protect children. Dixie notes that bus stops at 8th and Nicollet or Hennepin are taken over, preventing seniors from sitting, and that seniors are strong-armed for money in front of Target. When asked about coordination with police, Dixie says they can call dispatch to alert areas or report assaults, helping to prevent escalation. He contrasts the past Nicollet Mall, where people looked at toy displays in Dayton's window, with the current state where people nod off or soil themselves in window ledges. Dixie emphasizes the goal of getting downtown back to a place where people can have a good time without fear. Mike Max thanks Dixie for his efforts and for not sugarcoating the reality.
