Vigil Held For Murdered 5-Year-Old Mpls. Boy
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A large crowd of people turned out Saturday afternoon to pay tribute to a life cut too short.
Nizzel George was sleeping on the couch at his grandmother's North Minneapolis home on Tuesday when the house was riddled by bullets.
One of the shots hit Nizzel in the back. He died a short time later.
"How do you find peace? He was only 5," said family member Sidney Honeycutt. "He hadn't even begun to live, just starting first grade. He had 12 more years go to in school."
Many present at the Saturday vigil said they were also there out of concern for their own children's safety.
"I have children of my own and have lived in an area where bullets have come through my home. I know the fear that's involved with being in North Minneapolis," said neighbor Yvette Jefferson, who has lived in the neighborhood her entire life. "I'm here to support the family."
Many laid flowers and stuffed animals outside of the victim's grandmother's home. At one point, family, friends, neighbors and community leaders all joined hands in prayer.
There were representatives from a number of community organizations present at the vigil, including MAD DADS and Hope Ministries, to talk about ways to prevent further violence in North Minneapolis.
"Is this the one that's going to change (things)? Is this the one that's going to break our hearts enough that we're going to get involved?" asked Don Samuels of the Minneapolis City Council.
On Friday, Minneapolis investigators arrested two teenaged boys in Brooklyn Center after they got some good leads.
They were arrested in Brooklyn Center and they're expected to be charged on Monday, although it's not clear if they'll be charged as juveniles or adults.
"We lost three lives," said Honeycutt. "Two more children that are not going to be able to grow up and get a second chance. That hurts just as much as losing Nizzel."
