‘It weighs on all of law enforcement’: Federal agent discusses investigating Minneapolis shootings involving children

Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in St. Paul are helping Minneapolis police detectives work the cases of three young children shot in recent weeks.

Nine-year-old Trinity Ottoson-Smith was shot back on May 15 by what investigators believe was an errant bullet while bouncing on a trampoline in north Minneapolis.

"God got her now," Raishawn Smith wrote on social media after his daughter died Thursday.

Trinity is the second of three kids 10 years of age or younger to have been shot in north Minneapolis since late April; 6-year-old Aniya Allen died last week, and 10-year-old Ladavionne Garrett Jr. is still in critical condition.

"It’s horrific that we’ve had three children shot, two of which are now deceased, to this horrific senseless gun crime," ATF Special Agent in Charge Terry Henderson said. "I’m not sure that there are words that can articulate how disturbing and how horrific that is."

Henderson assigned extra agents and an intelligence resource specialist to help Minneapolis police in their investigation into the three cases, including working with MPD’s team that responds on shootings.

"We look at the guns, and all the intel that law enforcement has on a particular target and put those pieces together and investigate those crimes and attempt to bring those people to justice," Henderson said.

ATF uses its Crime Gun Intelligence resources to work shooting cases, Henderson said.

"It’s unfathomable," Henderson said. "Our hearts go out to the victims of gun crime, but especially of these children. But we’re going to stay at it, we’re not backing off."

In conjunction with CrimeStoppers of Minnesota, civic, community and business leaders announced a reward of $30,000 for information leading to an arrest. The reward will be $10,000 per case.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the CrimeStoppers anonymous tip line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online.