Amir Lamar Atkins, 11, a Black male, was shot in broad daylight on June 23, 2025, at Folwell Park on Dowling Avenue North in Minneapolis. Police said gunfire erupted around 2 p.m.; a nearby resident heard cries for help, found Amir with a life-threatening wound, and rushed him toward medical care, but he could not be saved. Authorities publicly identified him shortly after the shooting and asked for community tips as they canvassed the area.
Investigators described a chaotic scene with multiple people in the park when the shots were fired. In the weeks that followed, the Minneapolis Police Department announced the arrest of a 16-year-old boy in Apple Valley in connection with the killing. The teen was booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center, but prosecutors later said evidence indicated self-defense and declined to file murder charges; instead, the teen was charged with a felony count of a minor in possession of a firearm. The decision drew outrage from Amir's family, who urged authorities to pursue a homicide case. The case remained a flashpoint in the community as police emphasized their continuing investigation.
