Hennepin County Attorney’s Office issues felony charge related to shooting at Folwell Park

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office issued one charge of under 18 in possession of a firearm against a 16-year-old, related to a shooting on June 23, 2025, at Folwell Park in Minneapolis.

The case received significant attention due to the death of an 11-year-old boy. Murder was not a viable charge because of evidence of self-defense.

“Everything about this case is a tragedy, especially that an 11-year-old boy, Amir Atkins, is dead,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “This is a moment to grieve Amir’s death and to reassess absolutely everything about what system failures, including access to guns, led to an 11-year-old child dying under these circumstances. No matter what Amir was doing at the time, he was a young child. He deserved to live a full life.”

“From the beginning, this has been a collaborative effort between HCAO prosecutors and the Minneapolis Police Department. We appreciate the work of the MPD investigators who jointly analyzed the evidence, including video from the park, to ensure that we reached an appropriate charging decision in this case.”

Chief Brian O’Hara, Minneapolis Police Department:

“We recognize the unimaginable pain of parents, loved ones, and friends who have experienced tragedy from gun violence with irreversible outcomes. I value the difficult and dedicated work our investigators do in partnership with Hennepin County Attorneys in challenging cases like these. These are complex cases, and this work cannot be done without our community partners who continue to provide support to those who have been affected."

Statement from the following organizations:

Cause & Effect
C.E.O
Change Starts with Community
KJ 612 Outreach
Minneapolis NAACP
Racial Justice Network
Shiloh Temple International Ministries
T.O.U.C.H Outreach
Urban Youth Conservation
We Win Institute
Zion Baptist Church

“As parents, youth workers, community violence intervention specialists, clergy, and civil rights advocates, we’re devastated by the tragic passing of Amir.

“This tragedy highlights the seriousness of gun violence in our community and the impacts to our young people whose lives are being placed at risk or taken before they reach adulthood.

“As a community, we do not tolerate this level of violence. We are urging our young people to put the guns down and find other ways to resolve conflicts. Parents, we urge you to reach out to community organizations if your child is in need of support. Our community safety is at risk.”

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