Amir Locke Shooting: No Charges Against Police!

Amir Locke, 22, was fatally shot by a Minneapolis police SWAT officer on February 2, 2022, as police were serving a search warrant for a homicide investigation inside an apartment in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to a CNN report published today, no charges will be filed against the officers involved. The prosecution claims video obtained from a body camera shows Locke pointing a gun at Officer Mark Hanneman, justifying his use of deadly force. 

“After a thorough review of all available evidence … there is insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges in this case,” according to a statement from the county attorney and state attorney general released Wednesday.

Karen Wells, Locke’s mother, said that she was disgusted by the decision while speaking at a news conference in New York with attorney Ben Crump and civil rights leader Al Sharpton. She also pledged to maintain pressure on Minneapolis city leaders and directly addressed Hanneman. Keith Ellison, the Attorney General, and Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman, who reviewed the case, said Locke might not have been shot without the no-knock warrant. At the time of Locke’s death, three former Minneapolis police officers were being tried in federal court in St. Paul for the murder of George Floyd.

Here is the full statement from the legal team representing the family of Amir Locke:

“The family of Amir Locke is deeply disappointed by the decision not to criminally charge Minneapolis Police Officer Mark Hanneman. The tragic death of this young man, who was not named in the search warrant and had no criminal record, should never have happened. The family and its legal team are firmly committed to their continued fight for justice in the civil court system, in fiercely advocating for the passage of local and national legislation, and taking every other step necessary to ensure accountability for all those responsible for needlessly cutting Amir’s life far too short. Today only deepens the resolve of Amir’s family and its legal team. We hope this deepens the resolve of the community at large as well. This is only the latest reminder that we must work even harder to protect and obtain equal justice and accountability for our communities of color. No family should ever suffer like Amir’s again.”