Visitation held for 6-year-old who died after Minneapolis shooting

Tuesday, family and friends began saying their goodbyes to 6-year-old Aniya Allen, a young girl who died after being shot in Minneapolis last month.

Her visitation was from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday at Shiloh Temple in Minneapolis. Her funeral is Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Inside Shiloh Temple International Ministries, her small pink casket is a heartbreaking sign of the toll violence is taking on the community in Minneapolis.

“We’re sad today,” said Bishop Richard Howell Jr. “And for us to know what has to be done to be a support to this family. It’s going to take a lot of work because we can’t bring her back but what can we do in the meantime? I think the best thing we can do, is to pray for each other but also have hope that it will not always be like this.”

Mourners gathered to grieve with Aniya’s family and offer their support, ahead of the funeral.

“We think about Kay G Wilson,” said Howell, of her grandfather. “A community activist who has been there for so many other families. He’s been there supporting families who’ve lost loved ones. And now we have to stand with Kay G and support him and his family.”

Inside the sanctuary, memories played on a screen. Aniya’s smile and joy emanating from the videos as her loved ones honored her.

“Look at that video, why can’t she live a long time?” Howell said. “It’s like Aniya saying ‘Give me my life back, give me the same life that you are having right now.’ Let that be a message to all of us. You don’t shoot kids, you don’t destroy someone’s life just because of anger or whatever you’re pulling the trigger for. Let a child enjoy their trampoline, let a child enjoy their McDonalds, let a child enjoy just walking through the community without fearing their lives.”

Aniya was hit by a bullet while riding in her mother’s vehicle in north Minneapolis after stopping at McDonalds.

She is one of three children hit by gunfire in the past several weeks in the city.

Nine-year-old Trinity Ottoson-Smith died days after being shot in the head. She was jumping on a trampoline with friends when it happened.

Ten-year-old Ladavionne Garrett Jr. remains hospitalized in critical condition at last check.

Howell has joined other faith and community leaders in street outreach efforts. Intervention teams have been deploying around the city to push for 21 days of peace.

“This gives us even a greater determination,” Howell said. “I believe this is the right time to do the right thing to reclaim our community but also to let everyone know there is a better way to live than to take someone’s life.”

Just outside of the church, Connie Rhodes reached out to children and adults alike.

“Our city has endured a lot of trauma,” she told us. “It’s so painful, it’s so painful. As a mom, it just breaks my heart seeing moms burying their kids and I just think what can we do as a community. I feel like this is my role, you know, to support the families in any way that we can.”

She is using art, prayer, meditation, and aromatherapy and healing circles to help the community with the trauma. Her organization Restoration Incorporated is one of seven groups the city of Minneapolis chose to do community outreach.

“We see a lot of the problems we’re going through in our community, it’s all trauma-based,” she said. “We have to in the moment with ourselves even stop the violence, within ourselves. If someone in the family has been hurt then how do we not retaliate, what are some things we can do to stop the violence from continuing?”

As a group of children approached the tent, she walked them through deep breathing exercises.

“Just leading them through affirmations, knowing how important they are,” she said. “Our kids are seeing so much at such a young age.”

Rhodes also offers healing circles, grief support and violence prevention. Restoration Incorporated will be outside of Shiloh Temple on Wednesday as well.

“Just trying to find a way to provide healing, provide light in the midst of darkness,” she said.

Police have not announced any arrests yet in any of the cases. A reward is out for information leading to arrests. Tips can be submitted anonymously to CrimeStoppers.