Photo: GoFundMe
An 11-year-old boy was shot and killed in a public park in Minneapolis, per PEOPLE.
On Monday (June 23), gunfire erupted at the Minneapolis park shortly after 2 p.m. A man told police that he "heard cries for help" and found an 11-year-old boy, identified as Amir Atkins, had suffered life-threatening injuries. He "placed the child and one of the males into his vehicle and began driving toward the hospital," police said.
While on the way to the hospital, the man reportedly found a law enforcement officer. Life-saving measures were attempted on the boy, 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,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement. “We need anyone with information to come forward so we can bring some sense of justice to this child’s family. We are following every lead, but we need the public’s help to solve this.”
The Minneapolis Police Department has launched an investigation into Amir's shooting death. Family members said Amir's brother carried him while looking for help after the shooting. The brother later held his sibling in the car as he was taken to the hospital.
"Amir was a beacon of light in our lives – a joyful, loving child whose laughter filled our hearts," the victim's uncle said. "He had a unique spark that touched everyone he met, and his absence leaves a void that can never be filled."
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