Mother Mourning Teen Killed By Stray Bullet Says Son's Case Is 'On Hold'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Crime is up in Minneapolis, and the mother of one of the recent young victims says the search for her son's killer is on hold.

Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Enger, a young car enthusiast, was killed earlier this month while watching a street race in Minneapolis. Someone fired a gun and a stray bullet struck him. His mother told WCCO she recently got more sad news about the unsolved case.

What should have been a summer of fun has turned into a summer of grieving for those Enger left behind -- including his mother Amanda Bolz.

"We are just kinda stuck, we are not moving. Life hasn't gone on yet, it's just a shell of what it used to be, just been tough," she said.

Her pain is shared; another young woman was killed by a stray bullet the same night as her son. And three children, two who passed away, were hit by stray bullets too, all recent unsolved cases.

"I called his detective last week," Bolz said. "He has no new information to tell me; he wishes he did, but he has nothing because in Minneapolis the administration pulled the detectives off the cases. So no one is working the case right now."

She says her investigator has worked long hours on the case and is devoted.

"Absolutely, he cares a lot. He cares a lot and wants to be working the case."

The Minneapolis Police Department tells WCCO they did have to have extra officers in place last week for the sentencing of Derek Chauvin and the potential for unrest. WCCO asked if this had to do with staffing and a spokesman said it is very standard for officers to get called to other assignments like swat team or negotiations.

"I feel like we've all been let down," Bolz said. "It doesn't just affect me; it's everybody's public safety that there's nobody out there looking for the bad guys right now."

Minneapolis Police tell WCCO all cases are open and active, and even if officers have to multitask, they'll keep working. Bolz says she will too.

"It's my goal in life now to fight for him," she said.

The police department is down 200 officers from last year. The department has a new recruitment officer who is focusing on getting faith leaders and others in the community to help recommend new officers.

There is a GoFundMe in place to help the victim's family cover funeral costs and hospital bills, and they plan to start a scholarship in Enger's name as well.