Parking lots close at 9pm starting June 23
Posted on 18 June, 2025The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is continuing additional safety measures at Boom Island Park after a June 1 shooting left one woman dead, five men shot, and one woman injured. Starting Monday, June 23, the park entrance road and parking lots will be closed at 9 pm. Park visitors cannot drive into the park after 9 pm but the park and park trails will remain open for park use. Park attendants will be assigned to evenings when valid MPRB picnic and event permits have been issued, and attendants will let picnic and event attendees in vehicles exit the park when permits end at 10 pm.
In addition to the road and parking lot closures, a mobile camera will remain at the park and the MPRB’s Community Connections and Violence Prevention team will continue to routinely patrol the park. The added Park Police personnel assigned to Boom Island Park from 8 pm to midnight will continue through June 22, and Park Police will continue to patrol the park as part of their ongoing citywide patrols of parks.
The additional safety measures, including parking lot closures and use of a mobile camera, are being done out of an abundance of caution. Boom Island has had almost no serious reported violent crimes during the past 18 months, other than one reported robbery in October 2024 and the June 1 shooting which does not appear to be random.
The MPRB takes park safety very seriously at all 185 parks in the park system, which collectively serve an estimated 32 million visits annually. The June 1 shootings at Boom Island reflect an ongoing local and nationwide need for increased gun safety measures to reduce gun violence and the senseless loss of lives.
Boom Island Park is a 22.5-acre park along the Mississippi River in Northeast Minneapolis. It is part of the MPRB’s Central Riverfront Regional Park.
Community members and park visitors are encouraged to continue to call 911 for emergencies and any situation that requires immediate assistance.