A 16-year-old arrested Tuesday in connection to a shooting that left an 11-year-old boy dead in Minneapolis will not be charged with murder according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
Police made an arrest Tuesday in Apple Valley, nearly one month after Amir Lamr Atkins was shot and killed at Folwell Park on Dowling Avenue North in Minneapolis.
On Wednesday, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty outlined the decision not to file murder charges, citing "evidence of self defense."
“Everything about this case is a tragedy, especially that an 11-year-old boy, Amir Atkins, is dead,” 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.”
The suspect was charged with one count of minor in possession of a firearm.
Investigators say Atkins was leaning out the passenger window of a vehicle and had what appeared to be a firearm as that vehicle along with another vehicle drove erratically through the park. At one point, Atkins' vehicle swerved toward a different vehicle and someone dove into the rear seat and "quickly emerged with a firearms in his hand and fired multiple shots towards both vehicles."
“From the beginning, this has been a collaborative effort between HCAO prosecutors and the Minneapolis Police Department," Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said. "We appreciate the work of the MPD investigators who jointly analyzed the evidence, including video from the park, to ensure that we reached an appropriate charging decision in this case.”
11 organizations released a statement a joint statement Wednesday, after the charging decision was announced.
“As parents, youth workers, community violence intervention specialists, clergy, and civil rights advocates, we’re devastated by the tragic passing of Amir. This tragedy highlights the seriousness of gun violence in our community and the impacts to our young people whose lives are being placed at risk or taken before they reach adulthood. As a community, we do not tolerate this level of violence. We are urging our young people to put the guns down and find other ways to resolve conflicts. Parents, we urge you to reach out to community organizations if your child is in need of support. Our community safety is at risk.”