Man, 24, pleads guilty for role in Boom Island mass shooting

A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday for his role in a deadly mass shooting at Boom Island Park last June.

Zyere Jakay Porter was originally charged with five counts of second-degree murder with intent but without premeditation and one count of second-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder, along with two counts of aiding and abetting a drive-by shooting.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says he'll be sentenced to 30 years.

Stageina Witing, 23, died in the shooting, and five men were injured. Minneapolis police said officers arrived at the park in Minneapolis around 9:30 p.m. on June 1, 2025 to find a "very chaotic scene" involving at least 100 people.

Three other people were charged in connection to the shooting. Charging documents say they came to Boom Island to assist fellow Low End gang members in attacking an opposing gang member.

"Mr. Porter enabled a horrific act of extreme violence that took the life of Stageina Whiting, an innocent bystander, and injured numerous others," Moriarty said. "My thoughts are with Stageina's loved ones and all those were impacted by such a devastating instance of gun violence. Today's sentence ensures Mr. Porter cannot cause further harm to our community."

Porter is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 at 9:30 a.m.