Minneapolis punk show mass shooting victims react as teen takes plea deal
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Cyrell Boyd of Onamia took a plea deal in juvenile court on Tuesday intended to let him avoid prison for his role in the fatal mass shooting at a south Minneapolis home last year.
Boyd, 18, is one of the teens facing charges for the shooting that killed one man, 35-year-old August Golden, and injured six other people. The shooting happened at Nudieland, a mainstay in Minneapolis’ DIY punk music scene.
As part of the deal, Boyd admitted guilt to one count of aiding another suspect, Dominic Burris, who prosecutors said shot people and Boyd helped avoid police detection afterwards. Both were 17 at the time of the shooting. Burris, now 18, has since had his case moved to adult court where he is facing charges including second-degree murder.
The plea deal first calls for Boyd to be transferred to Red Wing juvenile facility for treatment. Prosecutors said Boyd does not have a criminal history and would benefit from Red Wing.
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The terms are the following: that he complete therapeutic treatment at Red Wing, remain a law-abiding citizen, better himself, stay in touch with a probation officer and stay sober. Also as part of the plea agreement, Boyd agreed to testify against Burris and any others identified.
If Boyd is successful at Red Wing, the state plans to then ask for a lesser sentence for him on other charges related to the shooting, so Boyd would receive probation until he’s 26. If he violates the terms of his deal, the court can impose an adult sentence, putting him in prison. He currently faces a presumptive sentence of more than seven years for aiding an offender.
A remote hearing is scheduled for May 13 for an update on Boyd’s progress at Red Wing.
The decision concluded one chapter for the young man, with an opportunity to move forward. It re-opened complex wounds in the courtroom on Tuesday for victims and their loved ones, some of whom had last seen Boyd on a night that now shapes their nightmares.
August Golden’s loved ones speak out in court
The courtroom was packed with over two dozen members of the punk and queer community at the heart of Nudieland, with more on Zoom, holding each other as people told the court — and Boyd directly — how the shooting impacted them.
“One bullet broke my heart,” said Golden’s sister Gina Golden, pausing to cry and wipe her eyes. She said in 2022, they lost their family home in California to a wildfire and their father died. Golden’s death came just as they were navigating life without the other.
She called the two teen suspects “monsters” and said no amount of time they served would be enough, let alone the time offered to Boyd. Her brother Alex extended grace: “I hope Cyrell makes the most of this opportunity to rehabilitate himself,” he said.
In a statement, Golden’s mother described him as a kind and generous soul whose absence has had a devastating effect on the family.
“My life is forever changed and will never be the same,” she wrote, calling the shooting “a senseless act.”
Boyd seemed to listen intently, facing each speaker.
Golden’s partner Caitlin Angelica was the first to take the stand, recalling “the sheer terror of bullets falling” upon everyone gathered for the backyard gathering last summer. She shared her love story with Golden and said she doesn’t believe in punitive justice. She instead blamed a larger system of gun violence.
“It’s woven into the fabric of our culture,” she said.
The courtroom was silent besides the occasional cooing from Boyd’s small baby, held by family along a back wall, and the deep breaths of others in the gallery. Judge Bruce Manning called for a moment after the weight of Angelica’s statements.
“There probably isn’t a pause long enough to absorb the teaching that was just offered to us,” he said.
Shooting impacted a safe haven for punk and LGBTQ+ people
Nudieland was a cornerstone for the local punk community. The East Phillips home has been a place where artists met and lived for more than a decade, going by the name Nudieland since 2019. Angelica’s friends had lived there and later Golden did, too.
On Aug. 11, 2023, about 30 to 50 people were gathered at Nudieland for a backyard gathering and concert when gunfire erupted after 10 p.m., according to witnesses.
For months, the event has rocked queer communities as some wondered if the shooting was motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment. Witnesses had told police the suspects made insensitive comments after learning attendees were lesbians, and they heard the suspects say “derogatory epithets about the sexual orientation of concert attendees,” according to court documents.
“I blame myself for it,” said Bobbie Tellez-Casco, 19, speaking at the hearing on Tuesday. Tellez-Casco said he is one of the only people the teens talked to at Nudieland, and they got upset after learning his sexual orientation.
For a while after the shooting, he turned to drinking as an escape. “I wanted to suffocate who I was,” he said.
At a hearing earlier in November, lawyers shared the narrative of events from Boyd’s perspective. He said he and Burris were in search of alcohol when they came across Nudieland and went to its makeshift bar.
A man denied their attempts to get alcohol and they split up. Boyd said he was under the influence and falling asleep. When he went back outside, he said he saw Burris harassing young women. They decided to leave, going by the side of the house, when Burris reportedly said “Let’s shoot it up.”
Boyd told prosecutors he believed Burris meant to shoot in the air, to scare partygoers. Prosecutors said Boyd fired one shot into the air. He says Burris fired at the crowd.
Man who was severely injured in shooting forgives Boyd
Tonio Alarcon-Borges is one of the six surviving gunshot victims. He was shot in the lower back and had to have a kidney removed.
“I hope that Cyrell and Dominic’s mothers never feel that pain that my mother felt seeing her child that she raised for 23 years, who immigrated to this country just to give me a better life, to see me — to see a child on the bed with their intestines out not knowing if they’re going to live,” he said after the hearing, tears running down his face.
He still struggles with nerve pain, breathing issues and paranoia and said he left the National Guard because of his PTSD from the shooting.
“This whole past year has been very — a roller coaster of emotions. Of course, I feel sometimes hatred and rage against Dominic and Cyrell,” he said. “Specifically when it comes to Cyrell, I feel sometimes even more anger towards him due to the fact that he watched his friend take out a firearm and shoot at us, expecting for multiple of us to get killed or injured heavily.”
However, Alarcon-Borges said going to therapy has helped him forgive Boyd. He hopes Boyd, who is a father to a newborn child, gets the help he needs.
“I wish that the defendants understand the strong community that the punk community in Minneapolis has, and that we are very forgiving in our statements,” he said. “That even though he did aid and his friend did aid in trying to kill us, we are still willing to forgive him, as long as he turns his life around."
Lawyer says Boyd is remorseful
Other gunshot victims are still suffering. Jenny, whose last name MPR News is not using to protect privacy, was shot in the thigh.
“I have developed a sleep disorder called exploding head syndrome, which is auditory hallucinations of loud noises such as gunshots or explosions when falling asleep or waking up,” they said. “I’ve had vivid dreams of holding August as he dies, attempting to pour blood back into his body as it envelops both of us."
Jenny shared some wishes for Boyd.
“I hope that he can finish a DBT therapy program, receive culturally specific care, drug and alcohol counseling, graduate high school, get parenting classes, volunteer for a gun violence prevention group and I’d like to see him create a life for himself,” they said. “I’d like to see him create a life for himself that honors August.”
Judge Bruce Manning told the court he would request a transcript of the proceedings so that Boyd could hold all the victims’ words with him during treatment and beyond.
“We can hope for better for Mr. Boyd and his child, and through that, hope better for all of us,” said Manning.
In closing remarks, his lawyer said Boyd was remorseful and will do everything he can to honor Golden.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement that Boyd helped prosecutors build a stronger case against Burris, whose next hearing is later this month.
“The plea deal that we have agreed to with Mr. Boyd is critical to us pursuing an intentional murder case against Dominic Burris, who was the instigator and main perpetrator of the terrible events that occurred at Nudieland,” Moriarty said.
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