Minneapolis Police Officer Who Shot Amir Locke Will Not Be Charged

Originally published 10:15 a.m. April 6th, 2022

Updated 10:45 a.m. April 6th, 2022

(KNSI) — The Minneapolis police officer who shot 22-year-old Amir Locke to death will not be charged.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman issued a joint statement saying they are declining to file charges citing an ethical obligation as prosecutors to only bring charges when there is enough admissible evidence to sustain a conviction.

A press release from Ellison’s office says, “After a thorough review of all available evidence, however, there is insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges in this case. Specifically, the State would be unable to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the elements of Minnesota’s use-of-deadly-force statute that authorizes the use of force. Nor would the State be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt a criminal charge against any other officer involved in the decision-making that led to the death of Amir Locke.”

Police shot Locke the morning of February 2nd as they were serving a no-knock warrant at the apartment where he was staying. Locke was not named on the warrant, and he was not in any legal trouble. The warrant was for his cousin, who was wanted in connection to a homicide case in St. Paul. Investigators said the cousin, 17-year-old Mekhi Camden Speed, had a violent past and had threatened officers before. The SWAT team cited officer safety as a reason for the no-knock. After the killing, a new moratorium on those types of warrants was put into place, with Mayor Jacob Frey saying they should only be issued in the most extreme cases.

Bodycam footage from that morning shows police bursting through the apartment door, announcing their presence. Nine seconds later, an officer shot Locke as he arose from the couch, mostly wrapped in a blanket with his face largely obscured. The officer who pulled the trigger said Locke had pointed his gun at them, but footage released immediately after the shooting seemed to refute that, showing he pointed the gun at the ground. Locke had a permit to carry.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus issued a statement in support of Locke, saying, “As seen in the body-worn camera video released by Minneapolis Police, Mr. Locke appears to be sleeping on the couch during the execution of a no-knock warrant,” stated Bryan Strawser, Chair, Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. “He is awoken with a confusing array of commands coming from multiple officers who are pointing lights and firearms at him.”

“Mr. Locke did what many of us might do in the same confusing circumstances, he reached for a legal means of self-defense while he sought to understand what was happening,” added Rob Doar, Senior VP, Governmental Affairs.

A press release from Ellison’s office says Locke should be alive today and called his death a tragedy, adding that he was a victim.

“He should be alive today, and his death is a tragedy. Amir Locke was not a suspect in the underlying Saint Paul criminal investigation nor was he named in the search warrants. Amir Locke is a victim. This tragedy may not have occurred absent the no-knock warrant used in this case. County Attorney Freeman and Attorney General Ellison met with the Locke family this morning and once again send their deepest condolences to them during this incredibly difficult time.

“Minnesota law authorizes peace officers to use deadly force while in the line of duty. This law is rooted in the United States Supreme Court precedent. Under Minnesota Statute section 609.066, deadly force may be used only if an objectively reasonable officer would believe, based on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the time and without the benefit of hindsight, that such force was necessary to protect the peace officer or another from death or great bodily harm.”

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