On the evening of July 27, 2024, Mario Lamont Burley, a 20-year-old Black/African American male, was walking with a group of people in the 2600 block of 3rd Avenue South in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. At approximately 7:13 p.m., the scene was shattered by gunfire, and Burley was struck by a bullet in the abdomen. Emergency services were called, and he was quickly transported to Hennepin Healthcare for medical attention.
Despite the efforts of the medical staff, Burley’s injuries proved to be too severe. He succumbed to the gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at 6:01 a.m. on July 28, 2024. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office later officially ruled his death a homicide. His passing was part of a particularly violent weekend in Minneapolis, which saw multiple shootings and stabbings, prompting the Minneapolis Police Department to seek assistance from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to manage the surge in violent crime.
The Minneapolis Police Department launched a homicide investigation into Burley's death. Authorities have been looking into the circumstances that led to the shooting and are working to identify the individual or individuals responsible. As of now, no arrests have been made public in connection with the shooting, and no suspects have been officially named. The investigation remains active, and law enforcement has encouraged anyone with information about the incident to come forward to assist in the ongoing inquiry.
