At vigil, family says Sioux Falls teen shooting death was 'accidental'
His sister said his death could have been prevented.
His dad said we need to “do better” keeping kids away from guns and violence.
His neighbor said, “How do these children get ahold of these guns?”
On the afternoon of Thursday, April 9, 14-year-old Elias Hopkins was killed in what the family allegedly says was an “accidental” gunshot while inside his bedroom with cousins who were visiting.
Officials with the Sioux Falls Police Department have not stated whether the shooting was such, only that the child’s death is under investigation.
As of the morning of April 12, no charges had been filed.
On April 11, friends, neighbors, teachers and family gathered in front of the home where the boy lived north of Whittier Middle School for a late-night candlelight vigil that included song, drums and prayer.
Elias lived with his grandmother Amber Boyd. She was in Lake Andes while the vigil took place in her front yard, already helping to prepare for her grandson’s funeral.
Traditional Native American ceremonies for Elias will begin later on April 12.
Original reporting: Teen fatally shot near Whittier Middle School on April 9.
“He was just happy and jolly all the time, he would just brighten up your day,” said his sister, Emma Hopkins, 16. She was home when he died on the scene.
Officers with the Crimes Against Persons Unit in Sioux Falls said on April 10 they attempted life-saving measures upon arrival and called it an “isolated shooting incident.”
“What am I going to do now?” Emma said.
Elias is two of three children to die in the Hopkins family
At the vigil, Elias’ father, Joe Hopkins, said he was in mourning for both his sons that night. On April 27, 2024, his oldest child, Eric, 15, died in a car crash that left Eric and another 15-year-old dead and six others teenagers injured.
Two years later, Elias died. Emma is the only surviving daughter to him and the siblings’ mother, Brittney Abdo, who lives in Lake Andes.
“I’m the last one left,” Emma said at the vigil. “I don’t have my blood brothers anymore. And I looked up to them, almost like father figures. They were protective and both treated me like their little sister.”
Another death in the family: Hopkins' older brother died in 2024 in a car crash that killed 6, injured 2, all teenagers.
Emma held a Chicago Bulls hat, the one her brother will wear inside his casket. He “loved hats, bro,” she said. “I can’t believe I got to go through this again.”
‘Guns are nothing to play with.’
Before he sang for his son and recited prayer, Joe urged parents to “start disciplining our children.”
“We need to start showing them how good life can be without drugs, without alcohol, without guns or violence or hatred,” he said. “Please, Lord, please bless our youth.”
He spoke to children at the vigil, too.
“This life is no joke,” he said, calling Elias his “Sunny boy.”
“Look what happened to my son. Guns are nothing to play with. I get it. They are glorified in our country, rappers sing about it, but it is not cool,” he said. “My son was taken from us, and my family’s lives are tragically altered.”
Related: In 2024, a 17-year-old was killed in an 'accidental shooting' while at a friend's home.
Joe walked around thanking everyone for coming, hugging family and shaking hands with teachers from Axtell Park Middle School who came to mourn one of their students.
Elias was a “bright kid,” said Erich Piepho, an education support professional at Axtell. “I got attached to him. He was excited about his education. He was very sweet.”
Elias’ death is the first confirmed firearm-related fatality in Sioux Falls this year.
