No badges. No guns. Can violence interrupters help Minneapolis?

Is violence something that can be cured? A Minneapolis program sends out unarmed residents, rather than police, to de-escalate situations.

Agroup of 20 men and women huddled outside a convenience store as steam rose from their paper coffee cups and the evening temperature dipped toward freezing. They greeted the occasional customer as they stood watch over the parking lot and nearby area, seeking to avert potential bloodshed without the aid of badges and guns.

Known as violence interrupters, the team stops by the store six nights a week during a...