Amir Locke Police Shooting Ignites Conversation Over No-Knock Raids – Opinion

Yesterday’s footage of another police shooting was released. This story will undoubtedly bring back the topic of no-knock raids. This story is, like many others, racially charged. Amir Locke, a black victim of a police officer’s shooting, was killed. However, Locke’s murder is most glaring example of the need for a rethink in this area.

The City of Minneapolis published bodycam footage on Thursday showing the confrontation between Amir Locke, 22 years old, and police officers. It happened two days prior.

An affiliate of CBS local reported the following:

The footage, initially released on the city’s YouTube page, is less than a minute long. You can see the exact same footage, or portions thereof, in different speeds. At first it’s in slow motion, showing police unlocking a door and entering an apartment. Several officers can be heard yelling “police” and “search warrant” as they step through the doorway with guns drawn.

Locke lies on a sofa, wrapped in a blanket. The officers move towards Locke. He straightens and faces the officers. He holds a gun. The officer then fires three more shots and Locke falls on the ground. This is then replayed in slow motion. This video is then played again in real time. Locke will be shot approximately 10 seconds after police open the door of his apartment.

Below is a link to the video. Warning: This video contains some disturbing material.

Public documents released on Thursday night reveal that Officer Mark Hanneman shot and killed Locke on Wednesday morning in his cousin’s apartment. According to police, a handgun was recovered at the crime scene. Attorneys representing Locke’s family said the young man possessed a license to carry a firearm and has no criminal record, a fact which was affirmed later by the authorities.

Court records show that the man living in the apartment has had previous violent encounters with law enforcement. Minnesota Public Radio reported:

Marlon Cornelius speed, 23 years old and residing in apartment 701, has pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor of interfering in police. Prosecutors say while riding in a squad car, Speed threatened to rape an officer’s family members, then tried to head butt him after arriving at the jail. The criminal complaint says Speed then smashed the officer’s hand into a concrete pillar.

After the video footage was released on Thursday, Interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman addressed journalists during a briefing. According to the chief, officers were entering the building around 7:15 a.m. for a St. Paul Police Department murder investigation. The suspects were identified and three other locations were also found in the area.

According to local CBS, the affiliate:

Huffman claimed that both a knock-and-no-knock warrants were obtained in order for the SWAT team to do its best assessment. She said when Officer Hanneman saw Locke holding a gun, he had to make a “split-second decision” on if there was a threat of great bodily harm or death, and to protect himself and his partners. She said his decision would ultimately be examined by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office when it gets the case.

She also said Locke was not named in the original warrant, and it’s “unclear” if he’s connected to St. Paul police’s investigation.

St. Paul issued a knock warrant as the original warrant. Minneapolis police said they would not serve the original warrant without a no knock option. That prompted St. Paul’s to return and get the no-knock warrant. It is thought that Judge Peter Cahill signed the no knock warrant. He presided over Derek Chauvin’s trial. According to Huffman, this was done to enable officers to determine the best approach for the situation at that moment.

The city records show that Locke was shot twice by the officer, once in the wrist and one in the chest. After being taken to the hospital, he was declared dead.

The New York TimesNotably, after George Floyd’s murder in 2020 Mayor Frey instituted a policy that required officers who executed a no-knock warrant for entry to the building to inform the public of their intentions and presence. This footage clearly shows that they never made any declarations of their presence or opened the door. They stormed in on Locke’s apartment and shouted at him, but it wasn’t until then.

A national protest erupted after the video was released. On Saturday, over one thousand protesters marched through downtown Minneapolis to express outrage at Locke’s senseless killing.

Minneapolis now witnessing protestors marched through the city. #AmirLocke @WCCO pic.twitter.com/tJT2uFEOIH

— Nick Streiff (@nickstreiff) February 5, 2022

Police Chief Huffman is also under increased scrutiny for referring to Locke as a “suspect” when he was not on the warrant. She was also criticised for claiming that officers entered the apartment to announce themselves and Locke pointed his gun at officers. Both of these assertions were refuted by footage. Footage shared on Facebook by independent journalist Georgia Fort showed dozens of protesters gathered together outside of what is believed to be Huffman’s home.

While police shootings of black men have not been dominant in the news after Chauvin’s trial, this story is beginning to get more traction. Because it’s a clearer example of what can go wrong, this story could spark deeper discussions about no-knock Raids.

Locke had no criminal history, meaning there was nothing that could distract from the fact that this city government mishandled the situation. This incident shouldn’t have occurred, unless there is additional information. As the story develops, eyes will be on Minneapolis’ government to see if they will finally pass meaningful legislation to address no-knock raids.

This could be a major national problem. Senator Rand Paul (R.KY), introduced legislation that would ban no-knock raids after the passing of Breonna Taylor. But, it failed and the bill is now basically dead. If I didn’t know any better, I would be tempted to think it was because Democrats were not too keen on advancing a significant piece of legislation addressing a serious law enforcement issue because it was introduced by a Republican. This tragedy may actually be a positive step towards the future.