Boom Island murder charges say war zone gunman fired at partygoers from circling car

A mass shooting at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis on June 1 resulted in the death of 23-year-old Stageina Whiting and injuries to four men, one of whom is critically injured and fully paralyzed. Zyere Jakye Porter, 23, has been charged with second-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, and drive-by shooting for his role in the attack. Police found approximately 130 shell casings at the scene, suggesting that at least nine firearms were used during the chaos. Surveillance video shows Porter arriving in a Dodge Challenger and later returning to fire into the gathering. The police chief characterized the scene as resembling a "war zone," highlighting the severity of the situation.

Investigators traced the Challenger to Porter's home, where they found evidence linking him to the crime, including a live round and a shell casing matching the bullets that struck Whiting. Porter remains jailed with a bail set at $3 million and is scheduled to appear in court on July 25. This incident contributes to a troubling trend in Minneapolis, which has seen 27 homicides in 2025, a slight decrease from 35 at the same time last year.