By: Gabrielle Taite
Many individuals have taken to the streets of downtown Minneapolis in order to protest the police killing of yet another Black man.
22-year-old, Amir Locke, was sleeping on the couch early Wednesday morning, February 2, when police conducted a “no-knock” search warrant, according to The Guardian. This allows police to enter private property without first alerting or announcing their presence to the occupants. This particular warrant was in relation to a homicide investigation led by detectives from the nearby Saint Paul Police Department. However, Locke was not named in the warrant and was not a suspect in the case being investigated. A lawyer from Locke’s family has since stated that he was in the apartment staying with his cousin. Minneapolis police have even acknowledged that it was unclear whether or not he was connected to that particular investigation.
Police body cam footage shows officers entering into the apartment, announcing their presence only after they are inside. An officer can be seen kicking the couch Locke was sleeping on, screaming at him to wake up. Wrapped in a blanket and seemingly confused, Locke can be seen moving around where a handgun becomes visible. Moments later, the officer who has now been identified as Mark Hanneman fired three fatal shots, killing Locke who was still wrapped up in his blanket.
Hundreds of protestors gathered together at Government Plaza on Saturday to express their dismay and demand racial justice, stating that Locke had a right to possess a weapon in his own home and was not even given a chance by officers to disarm himself. Citizens gathered together in below-freezing temperatures to show their support and state their demands which included: the resignation of the mayor and police chief, the arrest of officers involved and a ban on no-knock warrants. Mayor Jacob Frey eventually made the decision to put a temporary ban on no-knock search warrants, adding that he wanted to ensure the safety of both the public and officers.
Since the tragic incident, Hanneman has been placed on paid leave just as many other officers before him who have been accused of unlawful killings of citizens.
This is not the first time that Minneapolis police officers have come under fire for cases such as this. Earlier in 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by ex-officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest where authorities suspected him of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. As far as no-knock killings, Breonna Taylor was killed in March of 2020 when Louisville police officers raided her apartment, looking for two people suspected of selling drugs, neither of whom were Taylor. Officers fired more than 20 rounds into the apartment, with Taylor being shot at least eight times.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, who signed the no-knock warrant that led to the killing of Locke, even presided over the trial of ex police officer, Derek Chauvin, according to several Minnesota outlets.
Many are left outraged as racial injustices such as these happen far too often at the hand of police who have sworn to protect and serve our communities. The family of Amir Locke is being represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has previously worked with other families of police shooting victims such as the family of George Floyd.
