After barrage of gunfire, neighbors, city officials take critical look at Boom Island Park safety

Bloody bandages still littered the parking lot of Minneapolis' Boom Island Park when park keeper Isaac Bruestle and a co-worker arrived to clean up the gruesome mess left after Sunday night's chaotic shooting that left one woman dead and five men injured.

The park workers were tasked with clearing the debris Monday morning after the police tape came down. Disturbed by the sight, they were also annoyed that the cleanup of bloody medical trash, syringes and oxygen masks was assigned to them and not removed already by the medical responders, police or the firefighters who hosed down the asphalt.

"It's just hard to see that," Bruestle said. "I knew there was going to be a ton of stuff here, but I didn't really want to have to clean that up."

More than 100 people were at a gathering near the parking lot of the riverside park Sunday night when a barrage of shots rang out, creating what Police Chief Brian O'Hara described as a "war zone." Surveillance camera footage from a nearby house showed several bursts of gunfire, followed by several cars speeding out of the parking lot towards the intersection of Sibley Street NE. and 8th Avenue NE.

Killed in the shooting was 23-year-old Stageina Whiting of Brooklyn Center, while one of the men suffered life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been announced.

In a statement Tuesday, Parks Superintendent Al Bangoura said that "following Sunday's horrific incident, which does not appear to be a random shooting at this time, we installed a mobile camera and increased patrols at Boom Island Park."

"We will continue to consider other safety measures, as needed, including future closing of parking lots."

The shooting and its aftermath were familiar to one in 2022, when seven people were shot and critically wounded during a large July 4 gathering.

Several neighbors to the park said Tuesday that while they were unnerved by the shooting, they still think it's a safe park overall and a primary reason to live in the area.

"I love Boom Island, and I want this park to thrive, and I want there to be people," said 24-year-old Walker Nelson. "I really enjoy the community [I see from] this porch, and just seeing Minneapolis be alive."

Still, Nelson said it was "really scary" to hear gunshots and see dozens of shaken people running past his house on 7th Avenue NE. Nelson and his housemate, Oliver Elias, both Minneapolis natives, said they don't think an increased police presence is the solution.

"I think police presence in parks can deter a lot of people from going there, good and bad," Nelson said.

The park is a popular gathering spot for running clubs, picnics, barbecues, and as a spot where residents can enjoy the sunshine or throw a Frisbee.

At least a dozen people were shot in the St. Anthony West neighborhood from 2021 through 2023, with nine happening in the area of Boom Island. There were no recorded shootings in the neighborhood last year. Up until Sunday's shooting, this year there had been no reported robberies, rapes, homicides or aggravated assaults in the park, according to Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board spokeswoman Dawn Sommers.

A nearby retired resident, Susan Nelson, (who is unrelated to Walker Nelson) was on her deck that overlooks the park when she saw the chaos of the latest shooting, and the crowd of mostly kids running away. She said that overall, the park has felt safe to her.

"I walk my dog twice a day, and I worked downtown and would walk to work [through the park] and I never felt frightened," she said.

A couple of neighbors said they noticed an increased police presence Tuesday morning. On Monday, visitors were jogging past plastic picnic tables still covered with large trays of barbecued chicken and burgers from the night before.

City Council Member criticizes Park Board

Minneapolis City Council Member Michael Rainville, who lives a block away from the park and represents Ward 3, said in a phone interview he's frustrated with the Park Board and doesn't believe enough has been done since 2022 to prevent violence.

"If the Park Board can't take care of that park, I will figure out a way to do it," Rainville said, adding that he saw more than 200 people when he walked to the park Sunday night.

Bangoura said he values the working relationship he has with Rainville. "We take park safety very seriously at all 185 parks in our park system, including Boom Island Park," he said.

There was no known evidence that someone was shot during Friday night at the park as Rainville contends, Minneapolis police Sgt. Garrett Parten said on Tuesday, though there was evidence of gunfire.

Bangoura said there was "misinformation" that led to Rainville's initial statement that someone was shot, when it was just reports of gunfire.

"While I respectfully understand Council Member Rainville's concerns for the shots fired Friday night at Boom Island, there seems to be misinformation that someone was shot Friday when no one was," Bangoura said.

The superintendent defended the Park Board's work to improve public safety at the park. He noted that a gate was installed at the entrance in November 2022, and that after Sunday's shooting the Park Board increased its patrols there.

In addition, the Park Board is assigning police to the park from 8 p.m. to midnight from Friday through June 22. Next steps will be determined in that period, Bangoura said.

"We will continue to assess park use and park safety at Boom Island while continuing to serve the residents and community members who have gone through the appropriate process to book the park shelters for gatherings, parties and meaningful celebrations," Bangoura said.

Jeff Hargarten of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.