On the evening of June 1, 2025, a chaotic burst of gunfire erupted at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis, forever changing the lives of many. Among the victims was Stageina Katraya Shapryia Whiting, a 23-year-old Black woman from Brooklyn Center. She was a devoted mother to an infant daughter, a student, and a caregiver for children with special needs.
Her life was tragically cut short that night, a bystander caught in a wave of violence.
The scene at the park was described by authorities as a "war zone," with over 130 shell casings from at least nine different guns scattered across the area. A large gathering had moved to Boom Island after being dispersed from another park earlier in the day. Witnesses reported a confrontation linked to gang rivalries that escalated into a mass shooting around 9:30 p.m. In the ensuing chaos, at least six other people were injured. Whiting was found in a vehicle near the park entrance, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to the torso. She was rushed to Hennepin Healthcare but succumbed to her injuries the same night.
In the days that followed, a community mourned the loss of a young woman remembered for her dedication to her daughter and her caring nature. Vigils and memorials were held as investigators worked tirelessly to piece together the events of that tragic night. The investigation led authorities to a Dodge Challenger that was seen on surveillance video circling the park's parking lot as a passenger fired into the crowd.
The first breakthrough in the case came in late June with the arrest of 23-year-old Zyere Jakye Porter. He was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and drive-by shooting. Investigators linked him to the Dodge Challenger, which had been altered and hidden after the shooting. A. 40 caliber casing found in the vehicle matched those found at the scene of the fatal shooting.
A second suspect, 23-year-old Marquez Demar Hill-Turnipseed, was later arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted second-degree murder. According to the criminal complaint, Hill-Turnipseed admitted to being the passenger in the Challenger who fired into the crowd. He told investigators that he had returned to the park and fired his weapon out of anger after a friend had been shot. Authorities determined that both men had gone to the park at the request of gang members to confront rivals. Hill-Turnipseed was on federal parole for a machine gun possession case at the time of the shooting.
