MN - Amir Locke, 22, fatally shot in no-knock raid, Minneapolis, 2 FEB 2022

[Apollo]

Black man killed by Minneapolis police was not named in no-knock warrant

A Minneapolis swat team entered an apartment with a no-knock warrant. They shot and killed Amir Locke ,who was sleeping on the couch, when after waking him up saw that he was holding a gun.

If you scroll down this link, you can watch the body cam video of the incident.

Mark Hanneman biography: 13 things about Minneapolis, Minnesota cop

 

[Apollo]

This statement is misleading:

''Despite claims by interim MPD chief Amelia Huffman and the MPD press office that Locke was pointing the gun towards an officer, the bodycam shows this was not the case.''

That WAS the case. The gun was pointed right at the officer who's standing by the couch.

I don't think he's intentionally pointing it at the officer, I think that's just the way it was positioned in his hand when he took the blanket off with his other hand.

Minneapolis police union issues new statement on Amir Locke killing - Bring Me The News

 

[sds71]

Speed and his associates were who law enforcement was searching for when they executed a search warrant last Wednesday morning and fatally shot 22-year-old Amir Locke. Police later revealed Locke was not named in the search warrant.

According to the petition, officers knew Speed had been in the apartment where Locke was fatally shot by police last month.

Affidavit: Amir Locke's cousin arrested in connection to St. Paul homicide, was target of search when Locke was shot

 

[Marysmith]

Speed and his associates were who law enforcement was searching for when they executed a search warrant last Wednesday morning and fatally shot 22-year-old Amir Locke. Police later revealed Locke was not named in the search warrant.

According to the petition, officers knew Speed had been in the apartment where Locke was fatally shot by police last month.

Affidavit: Amir Locke's cousin arrested in connection to St. Paul homicide, was target of search when Locke was shot

Last month?! Wow. The links were broken so I wasn’t able to read the articles though.

 

[sds71]

Last month?! Wow. The links were broken so I wasn’t able to read the articles though.

‘here’s the charging document
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/wp-c...022/02/Speed-Mekhi-Motion-Petition-2.8.22.pdf

another link

Speed and his associates were who law enforcement was searching for when they executed a search warrant last Wednesday morning and fatally shot 22-year-old Amir Locke. Police later revealed Locke was not named in the search warrant.

Affidavit: Amir Locke’s cousin arrested in connection to St. Paul homicide, was target of search when Locke was shot

Police Arrest Mekhi Speed, 17, In Case That Led To Amir Locke's Shooting Death

 

[deugirtni]

So confusing. Was Amir holding the gun while he was sleeping, and so was still holding it when he sat up when police were raiding the apartment? Wouldn't one kind of leave it on the sofa, perhaps under the blanket?

 

[StephanieH]

Minnesotan here: Locke was NOT pointing the gun at officers. In fact, he was following the general safety protocol-his finger was not on the trigger and it was pointed at the floor. The police kicked the couch where he was sleeping. He had no criminal history and was a licensed, registered gun owner. He did nothing wrong.

 

[Marysmith]

Minnesotan here: Locke was NOT pointing the gun at officers. In fact, he was following the general safety protocol-his finger was not on the trigger and it was pointed at the floor. The police kicked the couch where he was sleeping. He had no criminal history and was a licensed, registered gun owner. He did nothing wrong.

This is brutal. ETA - a brutal situation that should have never happened, IMO.

 

[PrairieWind]

Is there a good site to see the body cam video? The news stations i've found edit and overlay so much its worthless.

 

[Shamrock1]

Minnesotan here: Locke was NOT pointing the gun at officers. In fact, he was following the general safety protocol-his finger was not on the trigger and it was pointed at the floor. The police kicked the couch where he was sleeping. He had no criminal history and was a licensed, registered gun owner. He did nothing wrong.

It wouldn’t matter if there was a criminal history - everyone is entitled to due process before being convicted and punished. We don’t skip past things like probable cause & trials and go straight to execution in the country.

He did nothing wrong.

 

[Apollo]

This link from CBS is saying he reached for the gun when being awakened.

''Officer Mark Hanneman shot Locke last Wednesday morning as a SWAT team conducted a search warrant connected to a murder in St. Paul. Body-camera footage showed the 22-year-old was sleeping on a couch when the team entered the living room. As he awoke, Locke grabbed his handgun nearby and was soon shot three times by Hanneman.''

I watched the video again in slow motion and it does appear that he reached to a table or hassock next to the sofa , where some other items were also laying (appears there's also a cell phone on the same stand), and grabbed the gun.

There were 4 or 5 cops there, all screaming different things at him and I'm sure he couldn't understand what any of them were saying. Plus, with all their bright flash lights shining in his face, he probably couldn't see who was there---so he grabbed for his gun.

The cop saw him go for a gun and shot him. No surprise there. I don't think it would have mattered who he was--- Amir, the cousin, the maintenance man, or the family preacher. You go for a gun with the the police standing there and they'll shoot you.

Police Arrest Mekhi Speed, 17, In Case That Led To Amir Locke's Shooting Death

 

[Cool Cats]

This link from CBS is saying he reached for the gun when being awakened.

''Officer Mark Hanneman shot Locke last Wednesday morning as a SWAT team conducted a search warrant connected to a murder in St. Paul. Body-camera footage showed the 22-year-old was sleeping on a couch when the team entered the living room. As he awoke, Locke grabbed his handgun nearby and was soon shot three times by Hanneman.''

I watched the video again in slow motion and it does appear that he reached to a table or hassock next to the sofa , where some other items were also laying (appears there's also a cell phone on the same stand), and grabbed the gun.

There were 4 or 5 cops there, all screaming different things at him and I'm sure he couldn't understand what any of them were saying. Plus, with all their bright flash lights shining in his face, he probably couldn't see who was there---so he grabbed for his gun.

The cop saw him go for a gun and shot him. No surprise there. I don't think it would have mattered who he was--- Amir, the cousin, the maintenance man, or the family preacher. You go for a gun with the the police standing there and they'll shoot you.

Police Arrest Mekhi Speed, 17, In Case That Led To Amir Locke's Shooting Death

He grabbed the gun but had no time to point it at officers, he was still under the blanket. This screenshot shows the gun in his hand and then before he had time to do anything with it he was shot.

Video shows Minneapolis cop fatally shoot Amir Locke in raid

 

[Apollo]

He grabbed the gun but had no time to point it at officers, he was still under the blanket. This screenshot shows the gun in his hand and then before he had time to do anything with it he was shot.

Video shows Minneapolis cop fatally shoot Amir Locke in raid

Yes, it all happened just so FAST. The video shows the gun in his hand and that's all the cop needed. The cop wasn't going to wait to see what he was going to do with it.

 

[PrairieWind]

This is of course one of the risks/problems associated with no-knock warrants. In this day and age of Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground, a person, unaware the people entering are police, may well be justified in defending themselves with a gun. Awakened from sleep, a person only hears yelling and screaming and lights in his face.

 

[Gardenista]

He grabbed the gun but had no time to point it at officers, he was still under the blanket. This screenshot shows the gun in his hand and then before he had time to do anything with it he was shot.

Video shows Minneapolis cop fatally shoot Amir Locke in raid

Well, the point is to shoot them before they shoot you.

I can't see how any cop would be in trouble over this since they had a warrant. Not sure what they are going to do about that type of warrant though. Seems like there are cases where there is no way LE should announce their presence. Best bet to avoid this situation is not to be around any criminals.

 

[Apollo]

Well, the point is to shoot them before they shoot you.

I can't see how any cop would be in trouble over this since they had a warrant. Not sure what they are going to do about that type of warrant though. Seems like there are cases where there is no way LE should announce their presence. Best bet to avoid this situation is not to be around any criminals.

Lawmakers in Minnesota are working on restricting no knock warrants but not banning them completely as some people are calling for. They're saying they're necessary in the case of kidnappings, hostage situations, and human trafficking.
DFL Lawmakers Propose More No-Knock Warrant Restrictions

 

[deugirtni]

Is there a good site to see the body cam video? The news stations i've found edit and overlay so much its worthless.

This one is short and sweet, since it did only take seconds. It shows a very slowed down version as well as normal speed. No commentary.

 

[Shamrock1]

Well, the point is to shoot them before they shoot you.

I can't see how any cop would be in trouble over this since they had a warrant. Not sure what they are going to do about that type of warrant though. Seems like there are cases where there is no way LE should announce their presence. Best bet to avoid this situation is not to be around any criminals.

“Best bet to avoid this situation is not to be around any criminals”? That’s quite an oversimplification. Exercising one’s freedom to associate with others doesn’t entitle LE to execute someone. That’s why we have a judicial system.

 

[PrairieWind]

Lawmakers in Minnesota are working on restricting no knock warrants but not banning them completely as some people are calling for. They're saying they're necessary in the case of kidnappings, hostage situations, and human trafficking.
DFL Lawmakers Propose More No-Knock Warrant Restrictions

This makes sense to me. There are circumstances where a no-knock is needed. So we shouldn't ban them completely. But they need to be the exception, not the rule. I blame judges increasingly. They are the gate keeper on this and they have been falling down on the job.

 

[PrairieWind]

I am reminded of a saying that I was told growing up. I also passed this on to my children. "Be mindful of who you hang out with. Their actions could ruin your life".

imo, This young man was hanging out with a group of very bad people. Their actions led to his death. This is on his friends. The friends are to blame here. LE was doing their job to keep us safe. I will not vilify LE for doing their job. And I find it hard to believe he didn't know what his friends were up to. Be careful of who your friends are. Moo.

Imo, there are two situation where no knocks are warranted as to not give a criminal a heads up. Hostage situations and armed murderers. Kidnappers do not need to get a heads up to kill their victim. Armed murderers do not need a heads up to arm and position themselves to ambush LE. LE deserves to be safe as well.

This case is a prime example of why no knocks are needed.

All Imo.

I don't completely absolve the police in this. They shot and killed a person that had committed no crime. I don't think any officer should be criminally prosecuted, but there really needs to be a reconsideration of how these raids are done.
But the rest of what you said is correct. As the saying goes, "if you lay down with dogs, you wake up with fleas." Amir was hanging out with very violent people. he knew this, that is why he was sleeping with a gun. His first instinct upon waking was to reach for that gun. I own lots of guns. If something wakes me in the night, i don't wake up reaching for a gun. I reach for my classes or my watch to see what time it is. I am very sorry he died. I really really am. But people have to take some responsibility for their own actions and decisions in life.