BROOKLYN PARK, MN — Brooklyn Park police arrested a 17-year-old boy Wednesday in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy at Hartkopf Park, according to a police department statement. Investigators also recovered the weapon used in the shooting.
Officers responded to Hartkopf Park, located at 7300 Florida Ave. North, at approximately 10:45 p.m. Sunday after receiving a report of a shooting, according to KSTP’s reporting on the arrest. Officers found the boy with a gunshot wound to the head and provided emergency aid, but he died from his injuries at the scene.
Law enforcement identified the victim as Immanuel Kowo. The suspect is being held at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center on probable second-degree murder.
Detectives launched an investigation at the scene Sunday night and continued searching the park Monday morning with the help of a K9 unit. No further details about a possible motive have been released.
Neighbors described a chaotic scene as sirens and drones descended on the area following the shooting.
“The sirens started within minutes after the shots,” neighbor Sharon Fraser told KSTP. “There were drones over the area. There was just all kinds of noise, and we could see the squad car lights flashing off the side of the house.”
Some residents said the gunfire was initially mistaken for fireworks, given the Fourth of July weekend timing. Neighbors had reported seeing groups of teenagers in the park both Saturday and Sunday night setting off fireworks.
