Amir Locke was 22 years old
Photo: KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images Once again, protesters gathered in Minneapolis to demand justice for a young black man killed by the police. Amir Locke, a 22 year old man, died on Wednesday, February 2, after being shot by SWAT officers during the execution of a no-knock warrant.
Locke was not named in the warrant itself, nor was he a suspect in the case being investigated, and a lawyer for his family said that he was in the apartment staying with a cousin. On Saturday, protesters marched in downtown Minneapolis, demanding justice for Locke. In the wake of the shooting, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey put a pause on no-knock warrants in the city, but the future of the controversial policy remains unclear. Meanwhile, a review of the shooting is currently underway by the Hennepin County attorney’s office, with Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison joining in. And all of this is happening as a trial is underway for three former Minneapolis police officers who watched Derek Chauvin kneel on George Floyd’s neck, killing him in 2020. Amir Locke was shot and killed during the execution of a no-knock warrant, despite not being a suspect. On Wednesday, February 2, police entered a Minneapolis apartment just before 7 a.m. on a no-knock warrant. “Approximately 9 seconds into the entry, officers encountered a male who was armed with a handgun pointed in the direction of the officers,” read the initial press release from the Minneapolis Police Department. “At one point, shots were fired, and the adult male suspect was struck. Officers immediately provided emergency aid and carried the suspect down to the lobby to meet paramedics.” The original release also announced an independent investigation from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and included photos of the gun the “male suspect” was allegedly pointing at the officers. He was later identified as Amir Locke. The warrant has not yet been released, but was reportedly issued in relation to a homicide case in Hannepin County and related to three areas in the apartment complex where Locke was shot. Meanwhile, the officer who shot Locke has since been identified as Officer Mark Hannemen. He has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Body cam footage shows some inconsistencies with the original police report. On Friday, February 4, the Hennepin County medial examiner released its official findings, ruling Locke’s death a homicide and the Minneapolis Police Department released body cam footage from the shooting. The short video released includes the first 10 or so seconds of the raid, ending abruptly after the shots are fired. The officer who shot Locke appears to be just out of frame, and the moments just before the shooting have been slowed down at multiple speeds. The video shows police entering the apartment, announcing their presence only when they have already entered safely. Once in the apartment, one officer kicks the couch where Locke was sleeping, prompting him to wake up, seemingly confused. Wrapped in a white blanket, you can see Locke holding a gun, though it does not appear to be pointed at any officers in the frame, nor does it seem that Locke even knew he was being surrounded by police. Attorney Ben Crump released a statement on behalf of the Locke family relating the video to the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed during a similar no-knock warrant. “Like the case of Breonna Taylor, the killing of Amir Locke shows a pattern of no-knock warrants having deadly consequences for Black Americans,” Crump said, via NPR. Amir Locke’s parents confirm Locke was a legal gun owner. Amir Locke’s parents confirmed on Friday that Locke owned a legal firearm. Speaking with Don Lemon on CNN, Karen Wells, Locke’s mother, said that her son “made sure that he did his research, everything was going to be legal.” Wells also added that she worried about Locke owning a gun specifically because of what the police might do if they saw him with it. Locke’s father, Andre Locke, also spoke out at a press conference Friday, saying, “It hurt me to see my son executed.” Referencing the body cam video, he added, “He never even got the chance to get the cover off his head. He was startled. He did what any reasonable law-abiding citizen would do. White or Black.” He also said that they had many members that were law enforcement, saying, “We’re not against police officers. We just want accountability.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey places a moratorium on no-knock warrants. Following the release of the body cam footage, Mayor Frey announced that the city would be pausing all no-knock warrants to allow for a thorough review of the MPD practice. The review will reportedly be headed by Professor Pete Kraska and DeRay Mckesson, both of whom helped craft Breonna’s Law, which helped outlaw no-knock warrants in Louisville, where Taylor was killed. “No matter what information comes to light, it won’t change the fact that Amir Locke’s life was cut short,” Frey said in a statement, adding that “until a new policy is crafted, I’m issuing a moratorium on both the request and execution of such warrants in Minneapolis.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued a statement on Friday, supporting a potential review of the policy. “To ensure the safety of both residents and law enforcement, we need to make additional changes to policies and practices regarding the execution of search warrants,” Walz said. Other government officials are calling for more permanent change. State Senator Omar Fateh told The Daily Beast at a protest on Friday that he hoped to end the no-knock practice once and for all across the state. “I’m hoping with this break-in and murder that we witnessed on camera, I hope we can at least ban no-knock warrants.” The no-knock warrant that resulted in Locke’s death was originally a knock warrant. The no-knock warrant that led to Locke’s death has been called into question, not only because activists have long been criticizing the practice, but also because the warrant was not initially supposed to be a no-knock. According to Kare 11 News, the St. Paul police that initially asked for a warrant did not request a no-knock. It was the Minneapolis Police Department that reportedly changed the request when it was asked to execute the warrant. No explicit reason for the change has been released, but interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman told reporters on Thursday that both warrants were obtained “so the SWAT team could assess the circumstances and make the best possible decision.” In a statement, Crump and fellow attorney representing the Locke family Jeff Storms reacted to the news, calling the switch an “inexplicable, yet deliberate choice.” The statement continued in part, “It’s past time that the Minneapolis PD be transparent and accountable to Amir’s family and the community that they are sworn to protect. No-knock raids at the hands of law enforcement continue to take the lives of innocent Black people.”
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