After fatal shooting of 11-year-old in Mpls park, activists tell community 'this is on us'

North Minneapolis residents react to 11-year-old’s shooting death

Community members spoke out Wednesday after an 11-year-old boy was shot and killed in north Minneapolis earlier this week. No arrests have been made.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - On the corner of Penn and Dowling Avenue North, a balloon memorial stands at the spot where Amir Atkins was pronounced dead on Monday afternoon. The 11-year-old had been fatally shot about ten blocks away at Folwell Park.

Inside the Folwell Recreation Center on Wednesday afternoon, Minneapolis activist Angela Williams called for the community to take a hard look at itself in the quest to stop children losing their lives to gun violence.

"All of this is on the black community and I’m not afraid to say it," Williams said emphatically.  

"This is on us. It’s us killing us. So what are we going to do about it? What are we going to do?"

READ MORE: 11-year-old boy fatally shot at Folwell Park in Minneapolis

Joyriding, then gunfire

What we know:

Minneapolis Police say that prior to the gunshots on Monday afternoon, several cars were seen joyriding through Folwell Park.

Amir Atkins was riding in one of them.

Witnesses on Morgan Avenue, a few blocks away, told FOX 9 that a Kia with bullet holes in both side came to a stop on the street shortly after they’d heard the shots. A teenager got out, carried Amir down the street, pleading for help getting to a hospital. He was heard saying that Amir was his younger brother.

Authorities believe the shooting is related to vehicles that were driving around the park at the time.

Police say there is at least one shooter, though multiple people were present at the time it occurred.

Minneapolis police: Boy, 11, killed in Folwell Park shooting [RAW]

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says an 11-year-old boy is dead after a shooting at Folwell Park in north Minneapolis Monday afternoon.

A call to community and families

What they're saying:

On Wednesday afternoon, at the news conference inside Folwell organized by Willams, Reverend Tim Christopher said "that should be the last kid," referring to children dying from gun violence.

"But sadly, it’s not going to be because we’re not going to change. But we have to."

"This commitment starts at home," said Princess Titus, who lost her 16-year-old son to gunfire in 2010 in Minneapolis.

"When I ask a parent how are you and how’s your children, they say my children are bad. Everybody makes mistakes. There’s no bad children, there’s no bad people, there’s bad choices."

Several speakers said children need to be given support and structure, but also held accountable for their actions. And they said that starts with parents.

"We have a lot of community meetings where we come together and talk about what’s wrong," said Joseph Banks.

"And we already know what’s wrong.  I just want to challenge everybody to start coming together to talk about a plan to actually fix this."

A young boy mourned 

Dig deeper:

Amir Atkins, 11, of Hopkins, was officially identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner on Wednesday. His cause of death was noted as a gunshot wound to the head.

A balloon memorial now stands at the corner of Penn Avenue North and Dowling Avenue North, where the boy was pronounced dead after unsuccessful efforts to save him by first responders.

His uncle began a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for expenses, writing "Amir was a beacon of light in our lives - a joyful loving child whose laughter filled our hearts.  He had a unique spark that touched everyone he met and his absence leaves a void that can never be filled."