After a young boy was shot dead in a public park, Minneapolis’s summer got off to a gloomy start.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that the incident happened on June 23 and that the victim was an 11-year-old boy in a news release and press conference that same day.
The county medical examiner has tentatively identified the victim as Amir Atkins, age 11. a GoFundMe page set up to assist with his mother’s burial costs.
According to O’Hara, gunfire could be heard in the park shortly after 2 p.m., and a man sitting on his porch “heard cries from help.”
When the man saw that Amir had suffered life-threatening injuries, he “placed the child and one of the males into his vehicle and began driving toward the hospital,” according to O’Hara.
When the man saw a member of law enforcement along the way, he came to a halt and attempted life-saving measures, but it was too late.
“I cannot emphasize enough how terrible it is to have an 11-year-old boy shot and killed in the middle of the day,” O’Hara told reporters. “We need anyone with information to come forward so that we can provide some justice to this child’s family. We are following every lead, but we require the public’s assistance to resolve this.”
According to the family’s post, Amir’s brother carried him while looking for help after the shooting and then held him in the car as they rushed to the hospital.
“Amir was a beacon of light in our lives – a joyful, loving child whose laughter filled our hearts,” stated the boy’s uncle. “He had a unique spark that touched everyone he met, and his absence leaves a void that can never be filled.”
The Minneapolis Police Department is actively investigating the situation and urges anyone with information to come forward.
