8-year-old boy dies days after Burnsville shooting
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner on Tuesday released the name of an 8-year-old boy killed in Burnsville last week.
Police say Amir Harden was shot during a domestic incident just before midnight last Wednesday at his home on Echo Park Circle. He died from those injuries on Sunday, a city spokesperson confirmed Tuesday morning.
The man who shot Harden was a family member and his mother and four other young kids were home at the time, police said on Tuesday.
According to preliminary information from police, officers arrived to find Harden and the male relative in critical condition. The initial investigation indicates the man shot Harden before turning the gun on himself, police said. Harden died a few days later, and the relative remained in critical condition as of this report.
Harden’s mother created a GoFundMe, requesting support for her family going forward. A city spokesperson confirmed the mother’s account of events written on the online fundraiser page aligns with the statement she gave to police, but investigators would not verify the details at this point, saying it all remains under investigation.
Details related to the suspect or what led up to the shooting were sparse on Tuesday, but police confirmed they do not believe 8-year-old Harden was the intended target.
No arrests were made as of this report.
Harden attended Echo Park Elementary School, Principal Logan Schultz confirmed. He released the following statement:
“Amir was known for his infectious smile and kind heart, and his presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Amir’s family, friends, and the entire Echo Park Elementary School community as we mourn this tragic loss together. Resources are available to anyone in the school community who needs them.”