Body-camera video shows Minneapolis police shoot an armed Amir Locke

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Alpha News

Locke was shot three times and died at the Hennepin County Medical Center.

Anthony Gockowski

February 4, 2022

Minneapolis released body-camera video Thursday night from the shooting of 22-year-old Amir Locke, who was killed early Wednesday morning during a SWAT team raid.

The video shows Locke asleep on a couch underneath a blanket in an apartment unit in the Bolero Flats Apartment Homes building on the 1100 block of Marquette Avenue South. As police approach the couch, Locke emerges from underneath the blanket with a handgun in his right hand.

“That’s the moment when the officer had to make a split-second decision to assess the circumstances and determine whether he felt like there was an articulable threat, that the threat was of imminent harm … and that he needed to take action right then to protect himself and his partners. Ultimately, that decision of whether that threshold was met will be examined by the county attorney’s office that reviews this case,” Interim Chief Amelia Huffman said during a press conference Thursday night.

Locke was shot three times and died at the Hennepin County Medical Center.

 

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Minneapolis pauses no-knock raids after 22-year-old killed

Hundreds occupied the streets of Minneapolis over the weekend.

Scott McClallen

February 7, 2022

(The Center Square) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey paused no-knock warrants after a pre-dawn raid led to the killing of 22-year-old Amir Locke.

“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. “To ensure safety of both the public and officers until a new policy is crafted, I’m issuing a moratorium on both the request and execution of such warrants in Minneapolis.”

Body camera footage shows a SWAT team using a key to open a downtown Minneapolis apartment at 6:48 a.m. Wednesday. Police entered and shouted: “Police, search warrant! Hands! Get on the ground!” and kicked a couch, where Locke stirred from under a blanket with a gun. Then an officer shot Locke three times. Nine seconds passed from officers entering the apartment to firing. Locke died 13 minutes later.

Interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman said officers were executing a search warrant in a St. Paul homicide investigation, and Locke wasn’t listed on the search warrant.

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‘Power to the rioters’: Amir Locke protester calls for more political violence

"No amount of reform is enough, only complete and total abolition."

Anthony Gockowski

February 7, 2022

A speaker called for more political violence during a protest Saturday in downtown Minneapolis, held in response to the police shooting of 22-year-old Amir Locke.

Minneapolis police shot Locke during a no-knock raid on a Bolero Flats apartment unit Wednesday morning. They were executing a search warrant in connection to an ongoing St. Paul homicide investigation and discovered Locke asleep on a couch inside the apartment.

Locke rolled off the couch with a gun in his hand and was shot three times by officer Mark Hanneman.

“Since the lynching of George Floyd, Dolal Idd, Daunte Wright, Winston Smith, and now Amir Locke, nothing has changed,” a protester said during Saturday’s march. “Let me ask you a question: why do you think Derek Chauvin is inside a jail cell right now? The reason why is because we burned down that f–ing precinct.”

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Finding Shared Understanding between African Americans and the Police through Simulated Experiences

John Pilz

In this well-researched book, John Pilz provides context and information to help foster understanding of different cultures, especially those who are frequently in conflict. His specific focus is on police and African Americans. This book will show that once you walk in another's shoes, you will understand and develop empathy for those you did not before.

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Amir Locke’s cousin arrested in homicide investigation

Amir Locke's cousin was arrested Sunday in Winona in connection to a St. Paul homicide. The investigation into that homicide led police to Bolero Flats, where Locke was shot during the execution of a search warrant.

Anthony Gockowski

February 8, 2022

Mekhi Camden Speed, 17, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder Tuesday in connection to a Jan. 10 homicide in St. Paul. The investigation frequently led police to Bolero Flats, an apartment building in Minneapolis where 22-year-old Amir Locke was shot and killed during a SWAT team raid last week.

The two young men are cousins, according to a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County, which identifies Speed’s mother as a woman named Cheryl Locke.

The charges accuse Speed of shooting 38-year-old Otis Rodney Elder during what one witness described as a drug deal. Speed fled the scene of the Prior Avenue shooting with an unidentified accomplice in a silver Mercedes-Benz.

Investigators used CCTV footage to track the vehicle’s movements after it fled. It traveled from the scene of the murder to Bolero Flats.

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Mekhi Speed: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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In contrast, Speed, despite his young age, was already on probation for a shooting, is now accused of a murder, and filled his Facebook pages to gang references (such as the Crips). One of his Facebook pages contained several photos of young men holding guns (although it could not be verified whether he is one of those in the gun-related photos) and calls him “Lì Mênaće.” One March 2020 post read, “F*** 12,” which is slang for the police. In 2019, he wrote, “Me n my Twin Glocc finn giv yaw hell.” Some posts showed him with large wads of cash, including when he would have been only 14 years old. Here is one photo posted to his Facebook page:

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Locke ‘looked directly’ at police, retreated under blanket before grabbing gun

Locke, 22, was killed during a Feb. 2 Minneapolis SWAT team raid when he emerged from underneath a blanket with a gun in his hand.

Anthony Gockowski

April 13, 2022

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension released a massive case file this week from its investigation into the death of Amir Locke, which included previously-unseen body-camera footage from several of the officers on scene.

These videos, according to a law enforcement veteran, confirm what some of the responding officers have said in written statements: that Locke “raised his head and looked at the officers prior to going for his gun.”

Locke, 22, was killed during a Feb. 2 Minneapolis SWAT team raid when he emerged from underneath a blanket with a gun in his hand. Minneapolis police were executing a no-knock search warrant in connection to a St. Paul homicide investigation. Locke was not named as a suspect in the warrant.

Locke’s cousin, 17-year-old Mekhi Camden Speed, was arrested in connection to that investigation and charged with two counts of second-degree murder.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced last week that officer Mark Hanneman won’t face criminal charges for killing Locke.

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