Minneapolis police plan response after another deadly weekend downtown

MINNEAPOLIS —  Minneapolis police say they have a plan to crackdown on crime following a second violent and deadly weekend downtown.

On Saturday, a crowd of at least a hundred young people had scattered as Minneapolis police processed the scene where two young men were shot and killed . Three others were injured in the shooting, which took place at the intersection of Fifth Street and Hennepin Avenue.

Two weeks ago at the same intersection, 16-year-old De'Miaya Broome was killed and five others were injured in a hit-and-run .

"While we still have not ruled out a connection between this weekends past violence and the hit-and-run the weekend before," Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said, "we are deeply concerned by what we have seen downtown in that it involves a congregation of juveniles the teenagers that are coming downtown, that are too young to drink, that are congregating in the area of fifth and Hennepin."

O'Hara says food trucks and vendors are fueling the chaos with some illegally selling alcohol.

This weekend, community leaders denounced the violence.

"We as a community have got to step up," Pastor Jerry McAfee said. "Law enforcement can not do this by themselves."

Enhanced security is planned for next weekend. O'Hara says there will be extra patrols from Minneapolis police, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department and Minneapolis mounted police.

The chief says officers on horseback are often the best equipped to spot trouble makers as soon as possible because they are up high.