A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old at a Minneapolis park last month.
The Minneapolis Police Department said the teenager was taken into custody in Apple Valley, Minnesota, Tuesday morning.
Police said “gunfire erupted in the park” on June 23. Someone sitting on their porch nearby heard cries for help and found a boy, later identified as Amir Lamar Atkins, with a gunshot wound. He started driving the boy to the hospital and flagged down an officer near Penn and Dowling avenues.
Despite efforts from first responders, the boy died at the scene.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said the teen will not be facing murder charges “because of evidence of self-defense.” Instead, the teen has been charged with one count of possessing a firearm under the age of 18.
“Everything about this case is a tragedy, especially that an 11-year-old boy, Amir Atkins, is dead,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “This is a moment to grieve Amir’s death and to reassess absolutely everything about what system failures, including access to guns, led to an 11-year-old child dying under these circumstances. No matter what Amir was doing at the time, he was a young child. He deserved to live a full life.”
Charges say Atkins allegedly leaned out the front passenger seat of a Kia Optima, holding what appeared to be a firearm, as the car drove erratically through the park. He continued to hold the firearm as the Kia veered toward a group near a Honda Fit.
Surveillance video shows the suspect dive into the rear seat of the Honda and quickly emerge with a firearm, firing multiple shots, according to the complaint filed in juvenile court.
“How did two of these young babies get access to these firearms?” Muhammad Abdul-Ahad with TOUCH Outreach said.
He says it’s a question that is crucial to find an answer to in order to save young lives.
“I know it’s not only on the county or MPD. We have to come together as a community to do better and hold our youth accountable,” Abdul-Ahad said.
Abdul-Ahad hopes this tragedy will be the turning point to end youth gun violence.
“We can do better and I believe it takes a village,” he said.
After the shooting, community members and activists gathered to call for change.
“We need to just really take accountability,” said activist Angela Williams. “Come on, parents, that’s not acceptable.”
An online fundraiser started by Atkins’ family said he “was a beacon of light in our lives — a joyful, loving child whose laughter filled our hearts.”
Atkins’ family told WCCO on Wednesday they are not ready to speak about the decision, but plan to get justice.
