Minneapolis PD Kill Black Man (not the subject of the warrant) during No Knock Search Warrant in Connection w/ a St Paul Homicide Investigation
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
Listen condescending *******, ..,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,comma,,,,comma,,, comma, the word editor prompts me. For sure, for sure. So **** off with grammar policing. My keyboard is flaky, and I can never get through a post w/o having to retype. So, again you can **** off, and still I am explaining this to you.
You can't seem to get it through your think skull the post that when I make my initial point of police over was not related to this case. It was a general comment. You came back with the insistence it should relate to this case.
If there was relevance to this situation it was that multiple errors were made. It appears to have been a crime scene gone wrong. THEY KILLED THE WRONG PERSON. Guns pointed? You have come to your conclusion but analyses of videos confirmed this?
And Fran, sanctimonious was refering to your response to my "..and it the guy would have been white" quote.
It had nothing to do with others on a moral high horse,..or whatever you were driving at.
You are sounding pretty flakey here. Like a wing nut.
Bottom line is the same... he wasn't pointing the gun at a cop. Cops had an adrenaline rush again and someone is dead because of it.
In your rambling prior post, you asked why all the killings of unarmed blacks? Well, all I was trying to do is point out that in this case the person was clearly armed. And in this case, @Hawkman98 made it pretty clear the reason why Amir got shot.
And now this rambling post, where it was quite a challenge to get through.
You note that many errors were made; I think it's pretty clear that raising and pointing a gun at the police is also an error.
The crime scene, by the way, was in St Paul; that's where the murder occurred. The apartment where Amir was staying is in Minneapolis.
And at the end of your interesting post you call me a wing nut? Good grief.
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I will honestly answer you and say I don't know what I would do.
It's not a perfect world as you would like to think. LE have to make split second decisions that can cost someone lese or our own lives. We can have all the training and experience in the world and that doesn't mean you're going to make the correct decision. If I go to 10 domestics none of them will be the same. How do you prepare for that? There is no handbook that we can follow that tells you how to handle certain situations. Every day is different and every call or traffic stop is different which causes inconsistencies. LE makes mistakes. Just like you do at your work. The only difference is our mistake can cost someone their life. Plus, our mistakes get picked apart like you are trying to do right now.
Yes if we see someone with a gun and they put someone's life or ours at risk for seriously injury or death we have the right to shoot. Yes, sometimes LE thinks they see a gun and we shoot when it turns out it wasn't a gun. The alternative is if we wait in the pitch dark while someone is trying to hide it and it is a real gun we die. Trust me when I say no one wants to shoot someone. DO you think it's fun? Being sued civilly, losing your job, being the talking point in the media and the possibility of going to prison?
There is no LE officer before they have to make the most difficult decision of their life by shooting someone that is thinking about their body camera. That's a talking point for the media and uneducated. LE doesn't care about cameras and we expect everything we do to be recorded and broke down second by second.
Typical DB at work. Ignore him. He's not looking to have a honest and open conversations. He is looking to tell you he is right and you are wrong. Regardless of not having any training or experience in what he's talking about.
To be fair @Franisdaman never really has an honest conversation in these types of threads and certainly doesn't have any "training". He always takes a pro LE side. Which is why you probably side with him and call out @Pinehawk
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Adrenaline rush? Yeah, I can imagine they did. They are being asked to invade a house with no idea of what is to come. They are placed in danger in addition to the people in the house. You can boast detecting where the gun was pointed after watching that video 10 times and determining, likely by pausing the video, that the finger of the guy wasn’t on the trigger. Congrats on your detective work. In the real world, you don’t get that chance. And if a cop is wrong in that situation, he isn’t coming home. Don’t blame the cops for shooting a suspect that is holding a gun as they are in the house. You can blame the no knock warrants, but don’t blame the cops.
Between 2010 and 2016, at least 94 people were killed during no-knock raids — 13 of them were police officers, Moran testified, highlighting how such warrants “carry a heightened degree of danger.”
Sarah Murtada, a third-year law student at St. Thomas who has studied no-knock warrants, noted that there are various cities and states throughout the country who have banned the practice. She said St. Paul hasn’t implemented restrictions but hasn’t executed such a warrant since 2016. (Minneapolis asked St. Paul to get the no-knock warrant that ended with Locke’s killing, sources told WCCO.)
Murtada pointed to the homicide clearance rates, or the percentage of homicides that are solved, in both Minneapolis and St. Paul: 37% and 91% respectively, she said. She added that neither city has had an officer killed by violence in 17 years.
“We’re looking at these two cities, one that uses no knock warrants one that doesn’t, and we’re not seeing any difference in officer’s safety and we’re also not seeing that no-knock warrants create a higher clearance rate or solve more crimes,” Murtada said.
minnesota.cbslocal.com
Sarah Murtada, a third-year law student at St. Thomas who has studied no-knock warrants, noted that there are various cities and states throughout the country who have banned the practice. She said St. Paul hasn’t implemented restrictions but hasn’t executed such a warrant since 2016. (Minneapolis asked St. Paul to get the no-knock warrant that ended with Locke’s killing, sources told WCCO.)
Murtada pointed to the homicide clearance rates, or the percentage of homicides that are solved, in both Minneapolis and St. Paul: 37% and 91% respectively, she said. She added that neither city has had an officer killed by violence in 17 years.
“We’re looking at these two cities, one that uses no knock warrants one that doesn’t, and we’re not seeing any difference in officer’s safety and we’re also not seeing that no-knock warrants create a higher clearance rate or solve more crimes,” Murtada said.
Minneapolis Mayor Frey Admits To Being Misleading On 'No-Knock' Policy Changes
"Language became more casual, including my own, which did not reflect the necessary precision or nuance. And I own that," Mayor Jacob Frey said.
minnesota.cbslocal.com
I really appreciate you taking time and sharing your perspective.
I mentioned this in a prior post and you have brought up this very example of why a no knock warrant would be issued. It is being reported by KARE 11 (NBC affiliate) that court documents indicate that a man who lived in the apartment that Locke was visiting had threatened police before and that's why the no knock warrant was asked for.
Note that the apartment complex management team complied with the court orders and provided access to the MPD officers to 3 apartments.
Similar to what you said, the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis's statement contained this message:
This particular SWAT team was conducting a homicide-suspect search warrant, authorized by a judge, as part of an investigation of a violent crime. Officers were obviously prepared for a very dangerous and high-risk situation. During the event, as shown in the body-camera footage, Officer Hannemen quickly encountered Mr. Locke who was armed with a handgun and made the decision to use deadly force. No officer goes into a dangerous setting like this wanting to use a weapon. That decision was not taken lightly, and the impact of the use of deadly force will affect these officers, their families, and the family of Mr. Locke for the rest of their lives.
Here is the full KARE 11 (NBC affiliate) story:
Judge in Chauvin Trial signed no-knock warrant for raid where police shot Amir Locke
MINNEAPOLIS — The predawn no-knock raid early Wednesday where Minneapolis police shot and killed 22-year-old Amir Locke nine seconds after entering the downtown apartment has led to widespread condemnation of the use of no-knock warrants.The search warrants and underlying affidavits related to a January St. Paul murder case remain sealed, however a source with knowledge of the investigation confirms to KARE 11 that Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill signed off on the no-knock warrant MPD used to enter the apartment.
Judge Cahill became a prominent judicial figure nationally as he presided over the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer ultimately convicted of murdering George Floyd.
KARE 11 emailed Hennepin Courts asking:
“Judge Cahill signed the no-knock warrant that ended with MPD shooting Amir Locke. Would Judge Cahill comment on this, or more generally on how much scrutiny he gives the request for the no-knock and if he ever refuses to sign one because he doesn’t think it’s necessary?”
Matt Lehman, Hennepin County Courts spokesperson responded:
“Judge Cahill cannot comment on this particular warrant or any warrant he signs because of the Minnesota Code of Judicial Conduct's prohibition on judicial comment in any pending or impending cases.”
STORY CONTINUES IN NEXT POST.....
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While Minneapolis police are not saying why they opted for a no-knock warrant the morning Locke was killed, Minnesota Public Radio is reporting court documents indicate that a man who lived in the apartment that Locke was visiting had threatened police before.
A law enforcement source told KARE 11 investigative reporter A.J. Lagoe the warrant that resulted in Locke's death was not originally supposed to be a no-knock warrant. When Minneapolis police were asked to assist St. Paul Police with executing the warrant, the MPD insisted the warrant be changed to be executed without knocking first.
In a statement Friday, a spokesperson from the St. Paul Police Department said it's "common practice" to ask other agencies help serve a warrant outside the SPPD's jurisdiction.
"After the warrants in this case were signed by a Hennepin County judge, the Saint Paul Police Department asked the Minneapolis Police Department to carry out three of them at an apartment complex in downtown Minneapolis. The apartment complex management team complied with the court orders and provided access to the MPD officers," the statement said.
It went on, "Each agency has its own protocols and policies for serving search warrants. The agency responsible for serving the warrant determines what tactics that will be used."
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instituted a policy against the use of no-knock warrants which his campaign described as a “ban.” But in practice Minneapolis police were still allowed to enter without knocking if they announced themselves before they crossed the threshold of the residence they were entering.
Now after Amir Locke’s death, Frey announced a moratorium on no-knock warrants in the city.
“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," Frey said in a statement.
The statement went on to say the city is "bringing in national experts DeRay McKesson and Dr. Pete Kraska of Eastern Kentucky University to review and suggest revisions to the department’s policy."
McKesson and Kraska were both instrumental in forming "Breonna's Law" in memory of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was shot and killed by Louisville, Kentucky police in March of 2020.
In the state of Minnesota, a no-knock search warrant is defined as "a search warrant authorizing peace officers to enter certain premises without first knocking and announcing the officer's presence or purpose prior to entering the premises." Minnesota statutes might also refer to them as dynamic entry warrants or unannounced entry warrants.
In a news conference Wednesday, Amelia Huffman, the interim Minneapolis police chief, said the SWAT team “loudly and repeatedly announced police search warrant before crossing the threshold into the apartment,” and Locke pointed a loaded gun “in the direction of officers,” which prompted one of the officers to shoot and kill him.
Body-camera footage raised questions about that account as it showed several officers rush into the apartment at the same time they announced their presence, giving Locke just nine seconds to react before he was shot.
On Saturday, the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis released the following statement:
The Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will gather the needed facts for the investigation, and no conclusions should be made until the investigation is complete.
Policing, particularly with a SWAT team, is a dangerous, high-stress profession where officers are forced to make important split-second decisions in defense of themselves and fellow officers, especially when weapons are involved. Weapons are drawn and used when officers are faced with significant safety threats.
This particular SWAT team was conducting a homicide-suspect search warrant, authorized by a judge, as part of an investigation of a violent crime. Officers were obviously prepared for a very dangerous and high-risk situation. During the event, as shown in the body-camera footage, Officer Hannemen quickly encountered Mr. Locke who was armed with a handgun and made the decision to use deadly force. No officer goes into a dangerous setting like this wanting to use a weapon. That decision was not taken lightly, and the impact of the use of deadly force will affect these officers, their families, and the family of Mr. Locke for the rest of their lives.
We express our sympathies to the family for the loss of Amir Locke that resulted from this tragic chain of events as well as our support of the officers and their families.
www.kare11.com
A law enforcement source told KARE 11 investigative reporter A.J. Lagoe the warrant that resulted in Locke's death was not originally supposed to be a no-knock warrant. When Minneapolis police were asked to assist St. Paul Police with executing the warrant, the MPD insisted the warrant be changed to be executed without knocking first.
In a statement Friday, a spokesperson from the St. Paul Police Department said it's "common practice" to ask other agencies help serve a warrant outside the SPPD's jurisdiction.
"After the warrants in this case were signed by a Hennepin County judge, the Saint Paul Police Department asked the Minneapolis Police Department to carry out three of them at an apartment complex in downtown Minneapolis. The apartment complex management team complied with the court orders and provided access to the MPD officers," the statement said.
It went on, "Each agency has its own protocols and policies for serving search warrants. The agency responsible for serving the warrant determines what tactics that will be used."
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instituted a policy against the use of no-knock warrants which his campaign described as a “ban.” But in practice Minneapolis police were still allowed to enter without knocking if they announced themselves before they crossed the threshold of the residence they were entering.
Now after Amir Locke’s death, Frey announced a moratorium on no-knock warrants in the city.
“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," Frey said in a statement.
The statement went on to say the city is "bringing in national experts DeRay McKesson and Dr. Pete Kraska of Eastern Kentucky University to review and suggest revisions to the department’s policy."
McKesson and Kraska were both instrumental in forming "Breonna's Law" in memory of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was shot and killed by Louisville, Kentucky police in March of 2020.
In the state of Minnesota, a no-knock search warrant is defined as "a search warrant authorizing peace officers to enter certain premises without first knocking and announcing the officer's presence or purpose prior to entering the premises." Minnesota statutes might also refer to them as dynamic entry warrants or unannounced entry warrants.
In a news conference Wednesday, Amelia Huffman, the interim Minneapolis police chief, said the SWAT team “loudly and repeatedly announced police search warrant before crossing the threshold into the apartment,” and Locke pointed a loaded gun “in the direction of officers,” which prompted one of the officers to shoot and kill him.
Body-camera footage raised questions about that account as it showed several officers rush into the apartment at the same time they announced their presence, giving Locke just nine seconds to react before he was shot.
On Saturday, the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis released the following statement:
The Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will gather the needed facts for the investigation, and no conclusions should be made until the investigation is complete.
Policing, particularly with a SWAT team, is a dangerous, high-stress profession where officers are forced to make important split-second decisions in defense of themselves and fellow officers, especially when weapons are involved. Weapons are drawn and used when officers are faced with significant safety threats.
This particular SWAT team was conducting a homicide-suspect search warrant, authorized by a judge, as part of an investigation of a violent crime. Officers were obviously prepared for a very dangerous and high-risk situation. During the event, as shown in the body-camera footage, Officer Hannemen quickly encountered Mr. Locke who was armed with a handgun and made the decision to use deadly force. No officer goes into a dangerous setting like this wanting to use a weapon. That decision was not taken lightly, and the impact of the use of deadly force will affect these officers, their families, and the family of Mr. Locke for the rest of their lives.
We express our sympathies to the family for the loss of Amir Locke that resulted from this tragic chain of events as well as our support of the officers and their families.
Judge in Chauvin Trial signed no-knock warrant for raid where police shot Amir Locke
A source tells KARE 11 Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill approved no-knock warrant that ended in Minneapolis police shooting and killing Amir Locke.
www.kare11.com
@fredjr82 , you are just looking like a complete dumb ass when you say you are being "fair." I clearly am having an honest conversation in this thread about this case. You just don't like how it's going. I never claimed to have any police training; that is why I asked for @Hawkman98's input. And it's pretty clear why @Hawkman98 called out @Pinehawk, who ridiculously wrote, and I quote, so, sounds like they [the police] came in looking for revenge and got the wrong guy. Why didn't you call out Pinehawk for such a ridiculous comment? Should I behave like you do and ASSume it's because you are biased and against LE? Instead of criticizing Pinehawk, you incredibly CRITICZIE @Hawkman98 for doing so. Talk about NOT being able to have an honest conversation! You clearly are biased!
And @WDSMHAWK , why don't you educate yourself before you accuse me of lying about anything. I wrote, and I quote, that I think it's pretty clear that raising and pointing a gun at the police is also an error. And why did I write that? Not because I am lying, you moron, but because of what is being reported.
And this is what is being reported by KARE 11 TV, an NBC affiliate:
In a news conference Wednesday, Amelia Huffman, the interim Minneapolis police chief, said the SWAT team “loudly and repeatedly announced police search warrant before crossing the threshold into the apartment,” and Locke pointed a loaded gun “in the direction of officers,” which prompted one of the officers to shoot and kill him.
Judge in Chauvin Trial signed no-knock warrant for raid where police shot Amir Locke
A source tells KARE 11 Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill approved no-knock warrant that ended in Minneapolis police shooting and killing Amir Locke.
www.kare11.com
I'm sorry for seemingly getting you worked up, who knew even writing about the job is also so stressful.
I don't know how I gave you the impression that I think we have a perfect world. I acknowledged we have a heavily armed populace, I acknowledged the human nature of valuing your own life over the suspect's. The point of the post was frustration regarding expectations with police when it comes to lethal outcomes, not that I expect perfection.
I also don't know how you got the impression that I am trying to pick apart your mistakes. My comments have been entirely "in general" as opposed to discussing a specific errors or mistakes in a specific case.
I do not think shooting someone is fun. I don't find much joy in guns at all, although I still play the occasional video game.
I don't find your commentary about bodycams very compelling. Although I do appreciate the sentiment.
One thing that comes through in nearly your entire post in both explicit content and tone is the sentiment of being under attack and a "us vs them" mentality.
You speak for law enforcement as if you're the spokesman (we, our). You feel your mistakes get picked apart. You're at risk of being sued civilly, losing your job, being in the media and possibly going to prison. You're a victim of media talking points and the uneducated. You expect to be recorded and be analyzed second by second.
It doesn't seem like a healthy dynamic, hopefully that's just messageboard talk and not part of the culture of your workplace, although it would help explain some things.
And the video disputes the story the cops are putting out. So stop hurling insults like a child and actually watch the footage instead of parroting what the police chief says.
I know, Hawkman said Pinehawk shouldn't be commenting because he didn't have any training. Neither do you but your opinion always sides with the LE. I remember your lunatic thread when the Minneapolis shot smoke canisters at people standing on their porch. You argued for about 15 pages how it was the police's right to do that even though they changed the rules on the fly. You've been called out plenty of times for your shenanigans.
Cops are trained for high stress situations. And while every interaction is different, I'm pretty sure they're trained to expect a "worst case scenario".
By itself, this story probably is less controversial. But it's the totality of stuff since George Floyd that makes this incident seem like another case of unequal law enforcement.
By itself, this story probably is less controversial. But it's the totality of stuff since George Floyd that makes this incident seem like another case of unequal law enforcement.
Again, I stated that I thought it was pretty clear that raising and pointing a gun at the police was an error. And I made that comment based on watching the video and what was being reported. @Hawkman98, an actual LEO, agreed that the shooting was justified based on watching the video. The Minneapolis Police Chief, too, watched the video and also said that Locke pointed the loaded gun in the direction of officers.
And how do you respond to all of that? Like a child (is that better than a moron?), where you falsely state that Locke pointing a gun in the direction of officers never happened and that @Hawkman98, the Minneapolis Police Chief and I are lying about it.
Again, @Hawkman98 watched the video, just like I did; he said it was a justified shooting based on what he saw. So, to be clear, you are accusing of him of lying, too, and "parroting" what the police chief says. correct?
Well, hypocrite, what about your shenanigans going on right now? You never called Pinehawk out. In addition, Hawkman said a lot more than Pinehawk not having training, yet you conveniently left that out. As a result, you just look like a biased, hypocritical dumb ass, where you are always siding with dumb asses like Pinehawk and against LE.
Pinehawk wrote this ridiculous statement, where you said nothing: so, sounds like they [the police] came in looking for revenge and got the wrong guy.
@Hawkman98 then replied with this: Typical DB at work. Ignore him. He's not looking to have a honest and open conversations. He is looking to tell you he is right and you are wrong. Regardless of not having any training or experience in what he's talking about.
I dont think that's true no matter how many times it gets said. The gun barrel is absolutely facing the general direction of officers. He drew a gun on police. You're going to get shot doing that 10 out of 10 imo.
Bad Pinehawk!! Your opinion of the situation should considered extreme just like @Franisdaman arguments for pro LE in these threads.
Happy now Fran? You both suck!
17-year-old charged in homicide that prompted no-knock warrant; Amir Locke's killing by Minneapolis police
The teen had access to the apartment that police raided and where an officer shot Locke, according to the charges.By Liz Sawyer and Paul Walsh
Minneapolis Star Tribune
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 — 8:53AM
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Jan. 10 shooting death of a 38-year-old man — the underlying case behind a no-knock warrant and predawn Minneapolis police raid last week that killed 22-year-old Amir Locke.
Ramsey County prosecutors filed a juvenile petition charging Mekhi C. Speed, of Minneapolis, with two counts of second-degree murder, and are seeking to certify him to be tried as an adult.
Speed and Locke are cousins, according to the charging document, which also revealed that Speed was living in a different unit of the Bolero Flats Apartment Homes, at 1117 S. Marquette Av., in downtown Minneapolis and also had access to the apartment where police barged in on Feb. 2 and shot Locke as he held a gun.
Officers responded to a 911 call in St. Paul's Hamline-Midway neighborhood last month, where they found Otis R. Elder suffering from a gunshot wound in the street outside a recording studio on the 500 block of N. Prior Avenue. He died at Regions Hospital.
As their investigation progressed last week, St. Paul police filed standard applications for search warrant affidavits for three Bolero Flats apartments. But detectives were forced to resubmit the requests after Minneapolis police insisted on a no-knock entry.
MPD would not have agreed to execute the search in its jurisdiction otherwise, according to a law enforcement source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. St. Paul police rarely execute no-knock warrants because they are considered high-risk. The capital city police force has not served such a warrant since 2016, said department spokesman Steve Linders.
Locke, who was not a target of the investigation, was sleeping in the apartment of a relative when members of a Minneapolis police SWAT team burst in shortly before 7 a.m.
Footage from one of the officers' body cameras showed police quietly unlocking the apartment door with a key before barging inside, yelling "Search warrant!" as Locke lay under a blanket on the couch. An officer kicked the couch, Locke stirred, holding a firearm in his right hand. He was shot by officer Mark Hanneman within seconds.
Along with prosecutors detailing their case in connection with Elder's death, they also spelled out in the charging document the circumstances of the raid that ended with Locke's death:
In the seventh-floor apartment where Locke was shot were Speed's brother and the brother's girlfriend. Officers seized a jacket that police believe Speed was wearing on the night Elder was shot, the gun belonging to Locke and marijuana.
In the search of a second apartment, this one on the 14th floor and where Speed lived with his mother, officers seized a hat that police suspect Speed was wearing when he shot Elder and other items associated with two people believed to be with Speed soon after the Jan. 10 shooting.
The search of the third apartment, also on the 14th floor and associated with a friend of Speed's, turned up "a large amount of marijuana."
Officers from the Southeast Metro Task Force, the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team and the St. Paul Special Investigations Unit eventually tracked the teenage suspect to Winona, Minn., where he was arrested around 3:45 p.m. Monday.
Elder leaves behind two young sons.
"That little boy stole my brother's life," his younger sister, Motika Elder, told the Star Tribune. "He never did nothing wrong to anyone. There was no reason for him to be killed."
A St. Paul investigator called the Elder family Tuesday morning to inform them of the arrest, she said, noting that Speed didn't appear to know Otis before the fatal encounter. A police spokesman declined to comment on that, citing an active investigation.
"O – as most of you knew him – absolutely loved these streets of St. Paul," his cousin, April Fleming, eulogized at his funeral last month. "It's gut-wrenching to know that these same streets took him away from us."
.............................................................................
Otis R. Elder--38 years old, father of 2 young boys (Murdered by Mekhi C. Speed, 17, cousin of Amir Locke )
Amir Locke, 22 years old
17-year-old charged in homicide that prompted no-knock warrant, Amir Locke's killing by Minneapolis police
The teen, Locke's cousin, had access to the apartment that police raided and where an officer shot Locke, according to the charges.
www.startribune.com
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I really don't care what you think. The video is pretty clear, the cops did not give Locke a chance to comply and shot him. Keep defending poorly trained police officers.
Pretty much yeah. I'm not surprised cops feel like this is a justified shooting as they will defend other officers until the evidence becomes overwhelming.
So keep tagging Hawkman to fight your battles because you are intellectually incapable of having a civilized discussion.
You freaking idiot. I had changed my opinion of you. Man, I was wrong. You are a fruitcake.
Speed and Locke are cousins, according to the charging document, which also revealed that Speed was living in a different unit of the Bolero Flats Apartment Homes, at 1117 S. Marquette Av., in downtown Minneapolis and also had access to the apartment where police barged in on Feb. 2 and shot Locke as he held a gun.17-year-old charged in homicide that prompted no-knock warrant; Amir Locke's killing by Minneapolis police
The teen had access to the apartment that police raided and where an officer shot Locke, according to the charges.
By Liz Sawyer and Paul Walsh
Minneapolis Star Tribune
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 — 8:53AM
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Jan. 10 shooting death of a 38-year-old man — the underlying case behind a no-knock warrant and predawn Minneapolis police raid last week that killed 22-year-old Amir Locke.
Ramsey County prosecutors filed a juvenile petition charging Mekhi C. Speed, of Minneapolis, with two counts of second-degree murder, and are seeking to certify him to be tried as an adult.
Speed and Locke are cousins, according to the charging document, which also revealed that Speed was living in a different unit of the Bolero Flats Apartment Homes, at 1117 S. Marquette Av., in downtown Minneapolis and also had access to the apartment where police barged in on Feb. 2 and shot Locke as he held a gun.
Officers responded to a 911 call in St. Paul's Hamline-Midway neighborhood last month, where they found Otis R. Elder suffering from a gunshot wound in the street outside a recording studio on the 500 block of N. Prior Avenue. He died at Regions Hospital.
As their investigation progressed last week, St. Paul police filed standard applications for search warrant affidavits for three Bolero Flats apartments. But detectives were forced to resubmit the requests after Minneapolis police insisted on a no-knock entry.
MPD would not have agreed to execute the search in its jurisdiction otherwise, according to a law enforcement source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. St. Paul police rarely execute no-knock warrants because they are considered high-risk. The capital city police force has not served such a warrant since 2016, said department spokesman Steve Linders.
Locke, who was not a target of the investigation, was sleeping in the apartment of a relative when members of a Minneapolis police SWAT team burst in shortly before 7 a.m.
Footage from one of the officers' body cameras showed police quietly unlocking the apartment door with a key before barging inside, yelling "Search warrant!" as Locke lay under a blanket on the couch. An officer kicked the couch, Locke stirred, holding a firearm in his right hand. He was shot by officer Mark Hanneman within seconds.
Along with prosecutors detailing their case in connection with Elder's death, they also spelled out in the charging document the circumstances of the raid that ended with Locke's death:
In the seventh-floor apartment where Locke was shot were Speed's brother and the brother's girlfriend. Officers seized a jacket that police believe Speed was wearing on the night Elder was shot, the gun belonging to Locke and marijuana.
In the search of a second apartment, this one on the 14th floor and where Speed lived with his mother, officers seized a hat that police suspect Speed was wearing when he shot Elder and other items associated with two people believed to be with Speed soon after the Jan. 10 shooting.
The search of the third apartment, also on the 14th floor and associated with a friend of Speed's, turned up "a large amount of marijuana."
Officers from the Southeast Metro Task Force, the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team and the St. Paul Special Investigations Unit eventually tracked the teenage suspect to Winona, Minn., where he was arrested around 3:45 p.m. Monday.
Elder leaves behind two young sons.
"That little boy stole my brother's life," his younger sister, Motika Elder, told the Star Tribune. "He never did nothing wrong to anyone. There was no reason for him to be killed."
A St. Paul investigator called the Elder family Tuesday morning to inform them of the arrest, she said, noting that Speed didn't appear to know Otis before the fatal encounter. A police spokesman declined to comment on that, citing an active investigation.
"O – as most of you knew him – absolutely loved these streets of St. Paul," his cousin, April Fleming, eulogized at his funeral last month. "It's gut-wrenching to know that these same streets took him away from us."
.............................................................................
Otis R. Elder--38 years old, father of 2 young boys (Murdered by Mekhi C. Speed, 17, cousin of Amir Locke )
Amir Locke, 22 years old
17-year-old charged in homicide that prompted no-knock warrant, Amir Locke's killing by Minneapolis police
The teen, Locke's cousin, had access to the apartment that police raided and where an officer shot Locke, according to the charges.
So the apartment raided by the police wasn't even the home of the murder suspect?
And this is the only thing that matters. Do no-knock warrants even work? And if they do in extremely limited situations, does the risk to officers and the public offset that tiny benefit?Between 2010 and 2016, at least 94 people were killed during no-knock raids — 13 of them were police officers, Moran testified, highlighting how such warrants “carry a heightened degree of danger.”
Sarah Murtada, a third-year law student at St. Thomas who has studied no-knock warrants, noted that there are various cities and states throughout the country who have banned the practice. She said St. Paul hasn’t implemented restrictions but hasn’t executed such a warrant since 2016. (Minneapolis asked St. Paul to get the no-knock warrant that ended with Locke’s killing, sources told WCCO.)
Murtada pointed to the homicide clearance rates, or the percentage of homicides that are solved, in both Minneapolis and St. Paul: 37% and 91% respectively, she said. She added that neither city has had an officer killed by violence in 17 years.
“We’re looking at these two cities, one that uses no knock warrants one that doesn’t, and we’re not seeing any difference in officer’s safety and we’re also not seeing that no-knock warrants create a higher clearance rate or solve more crimes,” Murtada said.
Minneapolis Mayor Frey Admits To Being Misleading On 'No-Knock' Policy Changes
"Language became more casual, including my own, which did not reflect the necessary precision or nuance. And I own that," Mayor Jacob Frey said.
The first LEO funeral I attended was for Officer Bobby Beane. He was a fellow officer and good friend of my younger brother. He was shot in the head serving a no-knock warrant. Officer Beane used the battering ram and was third guy through, IIRC. Really messed with those in front of him. The man who shot Officer Beane is serving life. Had he just been arrested for the drugs in his possession...smh...they found one-fifth of an ounce of marijuana in the house. His defense was, of course, that he had no idea they were cops. His door was smashed open and screaming people stormed in. He just grabbed his gun and fired.
Senior Officer Bobby Beane was 40 with a wife and kids. Was the consequence worth it?
nobody cares what you think because it is clear you are biased and anti law enforcement.
OMG, the bipolar fruitcake who can't compose a post because he is tech challenged is back. We are all so lucky.
From the story:
St. Paul police filed standard applications for search warrant affidavits for 3 apartments. Detectives were forced to resubmit the requests after Minneapolis police insisted on a no knock entry.
Why, exactly, they needed to raid 3 apartments, I don't know. Speed, the suspect, and Locke were cousins and Speed's brother & his girlfriend lived in the unit where Locke was sleeping. As you can see, they also recovered a jacket in this unit that they think Speed was wearing the night of the murder.
Pure speculation, but beyond the evidence they gathered in all 3 units, they might have also requested a search of all 3 units because they were not sure at which apt he would be because Speed had access to his brother's apartment where Locke was staying
I like police. I just want the poorly trained officers held accountable, especially when their mistakes end up with innocent people being killed.
But continue having your hissy fit in this thread, it's very entertaining to watch you throw around insults and then try to take the high ground.
Did they raid the apartment where he was living first? If not, that doesn't make sense.
@Hawkman98, Take a look at this. He continues to say that you, the Police Chief and I are lying about Amir lifting and pointing a loaded gun; he continues to state that the video disputes the story that the Minneapolis Police Chief has put out and thinks we are both parroting what the police chief says.
And it's ironic that this biased poster thinks it is we who are intellectually incapable of having a civilized discussion!
it's clear who is having a hissy fit and falsely accusing @Hawkman98 and me of lying.
But it is entertaining seeing you look so incredibly stupid.
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