Mother of shooting victim looks to move family out of Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS — It was just after 7 p.m. at East 26th Street and Cedar Avenue last Saturday when Cristina Sobotta said her 20-year-old son was approached by a group attempting to rob him. Her son ran.

“That’s when they started shooting at him,” said Sobotta.

Two bullets struck her son.

“There were 24 rounds that were shot at him,” said Sobotta.

Employees at a nearby convenience store did a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.    

Sobotta said one of the shots went through her son’s left elbow, another grazed his sternum and went through his right arm, shattering the bone and requiring a blood transfusion.

“I was just really praying that he survived something like that,” said Cristina Sobotta. “I’m just grateful that he’s still alive.”    

While Sobotta’s son’s injuries are healing, the mental damage from the attack still lingers.

“He’s doing OK, I just think that it’s going to be a long journey for him physically and emotionally,” said Sobotta.

The attack in East Phillips was one of 10 violent incidents that Minneapolis police said left three men dead and seven others injured over a period of three days in July.

After enlisting the help of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota BCA to assist with patrols and investigations, police said Sunday that all ten of those incidents remain open and active.

The mother of one of those victims said she is now raising money to move.

“I didn’t really have it in the means to move out of the city,” said Sobotta.
    
She has started an online fundraiser to make it happen.

“I just want change, you know, just like any other mother would, especially going through something like this,” said Sobotta.

While the mental health worker with the American Indian Community is planning to leave the area, she said her work in East Phillips will continue.

“Just to spread change and awareness to our community and to do whatever we can to make it safer,” said Sobotta.