On the evening of April 12, 2024, Minneapolis police responded to reports of a shooting near the 3600 block of Penn Avenue North and found 27-year-old James Nelson Purifoy with a gunshot wound to his torso. He was taken to North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale and died in the early hours of April 13.

Originally from Chicago and known as Dulu, James was born November 9, 1996, to Fannie Ladell Braggs and James N. Purifoy II. Baptized at Sheldon Heights Church of Christ, he finished high school in Duluth in 2016. Family described him as charismatic, with a love of music and a passion for working on cars and in construction. He is survived by his mother, siblings, and his daughter Ta myira Lashay Johnson-Purifoy.

The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating and no arrests have been announced. If anyone has information that could help, please contact CrimeStoppers.