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13-year-old boy killed after being struck by firework in northern MN

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Published  July 6, 2025 12:04pm CDT
Minnesota
FOX 9

The Brief

    • A 13-year-old boy died after an apparent fireworks mishap in northern Minnesota over the Fourth of July weekend.
    • Deputies say the boy was holding a firework that shot through the bottom of its tube and struck him in the chest.
    • Despite efforts to revive the boy, he was ultimately pronounced dead.

(FOX 9) - Authorities say a 13-year-old boy died after being struck by a firework in northern Minnesota over the Fourth of July weekend.

Deadly fireworks accident

The backstory:

The Mahnomen County Sheriff's Office said it responded to a distress call shortly after 11 p.m. on July 4 at a home in Naytahwaush, a small community 40 miles north of Detroit Lakes in the White Earth Reservation. 

According to the report, deputies were told by witnesses that the victim, identified as 13-year-old Michael Turner, was holding a large firework in his hands, pointing it away from himself, when it was lit. Sadly, the fireworks reportedly misfired, with the firework shooting through the bottom of the tube, hitting Turner in the chest.

What we know:

The teen had no pulse and wasn't breathing when deputies arrived at the scene. Despite efforts to revive the boy by both deputies and paramedics, Turner was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

What's next:

Authorities say the death remains under investigation and an autopsy is pending.

Minnesota
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