On the evening of October 14, 2015, a dispute in north Minneapolis tragically cut short the life of 19-year-old Elija Larkin, a Black / African American male. Larkin had just stepped off a Metro Transit bus near the intersection of 30th and Emerson avenues North, a short distance from the home he shared with his grandmother. At around the same time, another man, Jontrel Marquise Bolden, also disembarked from a bus in the vicinity.
An argument erupted between the two young men, quickly
escalating into a physical fight. The confrontation took a fatal turn when Bolden produced a handgun and, according to witnesses and surveillance footage, fired about half a dozen shots at Larkin. Wounded, Larkin sought refuge inside the nearby New Bethel Baptist Church, where he collapsed. The church's doors had been unlocked for a scheduled evening Bible study. Despite the attempt to find safety, Larkin died from his injuries at the scene. At the time of his death, he was anticipating the birth of his daughter and had recently started a new job to support his growing family.
In the aftermath, authorities launched an investigation into the shooting. The suspect, 20-year-old Jontrel Marquise Bolden, fled the area and was later apprehended in Chicago in early November 2015. He was brought back to Minneapolis to face charges. Bolden was charged with second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In March 2016, Bolden pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter and to the firearm possession charge. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison for the killing of Elija Larkin.
