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No charges will be filed in fatal police shooting of Amir Locke, killed during no-knock warrant service
Apr 6, 2022, 9:53 AM | Updated: 9:54 am
Image of Amir Locke, killed by police on February 2 in a Minneapolis apartment while they executed a warrant in which he wasn't named. Photo credit: CNN
(CNN) — Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday that they are declining to file criminal charges against the officer who shot and killed 22-year-old Amir Locke.
Police killed Locke February 2 in a Minneapolis apartment while they executed a warrant in which he wasn’t named, and that didn’t require police to knock and give any occupant a chance to open the door.
CNN has reached out to attorneys representing Locke’s family for comment.
A brief body camera video of Locke’s shooting shows an officer quietly sliding a key into the apartment’s door. After the door opens, a group of officers barge in, yelling commands. Locke, who appeared to be sleeping, gets up holding a gun his family said he legally owned. Police then opened fire.
“After a thorough review of all available evidence, however, there is insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges in this case,” Freeman said in a statement Wednesday.
“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 by Officer (Mark) Hanneman. 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,” Freeman continued.
Freeman and Ellison are expected to hold a media availability Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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