14-year-old Boy Fatally Shot During Downtown Minneapolis Fight
A 14-year-old boy was shot and killed during a downtown Minneapolis altercation Monday night.
Minneapolis police were called around 9 p.m. to the 90 block of Hennepin Avenue South, near the Federal Reserve building, on a report of a shooting.
Responding officers found a teenage boy with at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to Hennepin Healthcare but later died of his injuries, MPD Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed.
Investigators say the shooting followed a physical altercation among a group of teenage boys—estimated at up to a dozen. During the confrontation, one of the teens pulled a gun and fired, striking the 14-year-old victim. His identity has not yet been released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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At a news conference, O’Hara called the incident a “terrible tragedy,” emphasizing the dangers of guns in the hands of youth. “When teenagers have access to guns, conflicts can turn deadly,” he said. “One young life is lost, and others are forever changed.”
The chief added that the boy was known to police and, despite his young age, had previously been shot.
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No arrests have been made, and investigators are working to determine the exact circumstances that led to the fatal shooting, as well as the source of the weapon used. Police are asking anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or contact investigators directly at 612-673-5845 or via email at policetips@minneapolismn.gov.
The killing is one of several shootings Minneapolis police are dealing with amid a surge in violence. Just an hour after Monday night’s downtown shooting, a 29-year-old man was shot near Elliot Park. He’s expected to survive and a suspect in that case was later arrested, though police do not believe the two shootings are connected.
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Last week, police investigated six shootings in a 24-hour span that left five people dead and six others injured. The city has recorded at least eight homicides over the past week, a level not seen in three years.
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According to police, some of the recent violence is gang-related, but Monday’s fatal shooting near the Federal Reserve is not believed to be linked to those cases. Arrests have already been made in some of the recent incidents, including a mass shooting that left four people dead and one injured, as well as a separate fatal shooting on Cedar Avenue.
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O’Hara acknowledged the ongoing strain on police resources but emphasized that officers remain committed to solving the cases and preventing further violence.
UPDATE | Thursday, May 8
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has identified the shooting victim as 14-year-old Thor William Wagaman Walsh, of Minneapolis. He was pronounced dead a short time after arriving at the hospital.
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