Murder charges say boy, 16, shot southern Minnesota man in SUV several times in the back

A 16-year-old boy shot “without warning” several rounds of deadly gunfire from the back seat of a parked SUV into the back of the driver, while also wounding a passenger, according to charges.

Phillip Tyrek Gills was charged last week in Mower County District Court with second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in connection with the shooting on Feb. 15 in Austin, Minn., that killed Opoka James Nathanael, 27, of Austin.

The County Attorney’s Office has notified the court that it intends to prosecute Gills, of Austin, as an adult. His next hearing is scheduled for March 5.

An autopsy found that Nathanael was shot seven times in the back, according to the charges.

Nathanael was “always playing with and caring for the kids around him, a loving uncle to many,” his online obituary read. “Opoka had many interests, including music, putting things together, riding BMX bikes, fixing bikes, and cooking for people, to name just a few.”

According to the charging document, which offered no motive for the shooting:

Officers dispatched to the 1100 block of 5th Avenue NW. in Austin found Nathanael behind the wheel of an SUV. Emergency medical personnel declared him dead at the scene.

A man in the front passenger seat was shot twice and survived his wounds.

One witness heard gunfire and saw a male flee from the back seat.

Video from a home a few blocks away identified Gills as the suspect. A resident told police that Gills was in the home. He came upstairs to speak with officers while wearing different clothing than what the video showed.

Gills was arrested and declined to speak with police.

Officers recovered from the home the clothing that Gills discarded.

The man who was wounded told police that he did not know Gills but Nathanael did.

“He stated there was no warning that there was going to be a shooting,” the charges read. “He stated that he thought he was going to die, so he found someone to give him a ride to the hospital.”