North Minneapolis community frustrated by violence as they mourn young man's death

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - A Minneapolis community is frustrated after a man was fatally shot at a popular north Minneapolis park during a kickball league game.

Nathan Hampton, 19, was shot and killed at North Commons Park Sunday evening while attending the game. The football player and recent North High School graduate was joined by hundreds of other families who attend the Sunday games.

The league was started five years ago by local coaches and mentors, Tyrone Johnson and Londell Anderson.

“Sunday is a good time for fellowship and to bring the community out,” Anderson said.

Just minutes into Fox 9’s interview Monday afternoon at the park, more gunshots were fired at a group gathering to remember Hampton. The Fox 9 crew and the rest of the crowd ran from the park, trying to get to safety as more shots are fired from all over.

No one was hurt, but the gun violence on a Monday afternoon with several Minneapolis police squads in the area just highlights what some in the neighborhood have to endure on a daily basis.

Fox 9 continued talking to Johnson and Anderson a few minutes later across from Minneapolis Police’s 4th Precinct.

“We’re trying to show the bright spots in the community. We’re trying to show that we thrive together, we don’t just cause trouble around here. The north side’s got a bad stigma on it right now, we try to change that stigma,” Anderson said.

“It’s always, ‘they’re killing over there, they’re shooting, they doing this, they doing that.’ We’re doing something else over here on Sundays,” Johnson said.

Anderson said kickball Sundays are a day for kids, parents, grandparents and even teachers to get together and have fun. It's what keeps the community strong.

And despite Hampton's death, they won't stop going out onto that field out of fear.

“Kickball brought the community back together in a powerful way,” Anderson said.