A 13-year-old boy was holding a lit firework when it launched and collided with his chest, killing him on July 4, the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office said.
Witnesses identified the child as Michael Turner of Naytahwaush, a small town about 50 miles north of Detroit Lakes. Authorities said onlookers saw Turner pointing a large, lit firework away from himself before it went off, shooting through the bottom of the tube and hitting the boy in the chest. He fell to the ground clutching his chest, and bystanders began chest compressions.
When officers arrived at the 300 block of New Circle Drive at 11:14 p.m., Turner wasn’t breathing and lacked a pulse. They performed CPR before medics arrived and pronounced him dead at 12:07 a.m.
The incident remains under investigation pending an autopsy, and the family has been notified, the sheriff’s office said.
The Naytahwaush Community Council invited community members to the Drum Hall at 1 p.m. Sunday to gather in the event’s aftermath. The White Earth Nation opened two behavioral health buildings Saturday to offer people support “following recent losses in our villages.”
Fireworks accidents in Minnesota are an annual occurrence. The pyrotechnic devices have killed two people since 2019 and injured 132, according to the State Fire Marshal. One report states the state sees an average of 75 hospital visits each year due to fireworks injuries, with nearly 45% of fireworks injuries involving children.
To keep celebrations safe, officials recommend sticking to fireworks that are legal in Minnesota, like sparklers, fountains and ground spinners. They should be pointed away from people, launched in open areas far from trees and houses, and extinguished in a bucket of water.
Kim Hyatt contributed to this report.
