Community members in Minneapolis spoke out about their fear and frustration with the status quo after the Monday shooting death of an 11-year-old boy at a park on the city’s north side.
Just after 2 p.m. on June 23, Amir Lamar Atkins was shot in the head while at Folwell park. Police have indicated that cars were driving through the park when the shooting occurred. According to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), a resident who was on his porch heard cries for help and placed Atkins in his car and began driving to the hospital.
“On the way, he flagged down an officer near Penn and Dowling Avenues,” said an MPD statement. “The officer immediately removed the boy from the vehicle and initiated lifesaving efforts. Despite efforts by police, fire, and EMS personnel, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.”
During a press conference, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara declined to say if Atkins was caught in the crossfire or if he was the intended target. Additionally, he wouldn’t say if it was connected to gang activity.
“We have had a problem for sometime with stolen cars and juveniles in stolen cars, you know, driving through the park and driving reckless in general,” he said.
On Wednesday, community members gathered for a press conference inside the Folwell Recreation Center to grieve the loss of Amir and call for change. The event was streamed by KARE 11.
One of them, Angela Williams, said she was there to talk about Atkins’ death and “just all the shootings, violence, and the black-on-black violence that’s been going on. We’re here to talk and speak with the black community to ask them to step up and be accountable for your children, to step up and be accountable as a parent.”
Williams, who is black, said she does not want to see children incarcerated, but she does want to see justice for families and the community. The community activist also said kids cannot even go out and play because no one knows when a gunshot might ring out.
“I’m tired of all the twerking,” said Williams. “I’m tired of all the pants hanging down. I’m tired of all of the crowding the gas stations selling weed. I’m tired of all that stuff. This is our community. We shouldn’t have to live like this. This don’t nothing to do with prejudice, supremacy, white power, none of that. All of this is on the black community and I’m not afraid to say it. This is on us, it’s us killing us. So what are we gonna do about it?”
Tim Peterson, a teacher and high school coach in Minneapolis Public Schools, told the gathering “for far too long, we have not held our youth accountable for the actions they’ve caused with this increasing violent behavior. We have youth stealing cars and driving around our parks like they’re in some Vice City video game.”
Peterson called on more community members to serve as “positive male role models” and said that residents who are unhappy with the way things are can make their voice heard in Minneapolis’ city elections this November.
Another local activist, Rev. Timothy Christopher, called for a change in the political realm earlier in the press conference. Christopher is running for lieutenant governor of Minnesota on a ticket helmed by Brad Kohler.
“It’s time that we start being real with what’s going on in this community,” Christopher said. “Now, you can keep electing the same people all you want, that’s fine. But if you expect something different, then you do different. And that’s the problem; nobody wants to step up and do different, we just want to stay with the same stagnation that we have.”
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
