Opoka James Nathanael, 27, was killed on a winter afternoon in Austin, Minnesota, when gunfire erupted inside his SUV in the 1100 block of 5th Avenue Northwest on February 15, 2025. Born in Juba, South Sudan, Nathanael was remembered by family and friends as a kind, selfless man who loved music, fixing bikes, cooking for others and playing with his nieces and nephews. He was struck seven times in the back and died at the scene; a front-seat passenger was shot twice and survived.

Investigators say the surviving passenger told police the shots came from a third occupant in the back seat who fled on foot. A witness heard the gunfire and saw a man run from the vehicle; footprints in the snow and nearby home surveillance helped identify 16-year-old Phillip Tyrek Gills as the suspect. Officers found discarded clothing matching the footage and arrested Gills, who was charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder and is being prosecuted as an adult. The surviving passenger told authorities Nathanael knew the suspect, but no clear motive has been released.

If anyone knew Opoka Nathanael, the people he cared for, or has information about that afternoon in Austin, please share what you know.