Minneapolis is in the process of rebellion following multiple fatal ICE shootings. However, before the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis Police Department had been under pressure to account for another killing, that of then-22-year-old man named Amir Locke. BOSSIP reported on the 2022 shooting that occurred during a no-knock warrant service, and today, we finally have an update on the case.
According to CNN, the Supreme Court has decided that it will not stop Locke’s family from pursuing legal action against the city and the police department. Officer Mark Hanneman is the officer responsible for killing Locke, and the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals denied him qualified immunity, which left him open for potential liability.
Hanneman’s case for qualified immunity was based on the idea that, as police entered Locke’s residence, he raised a firearm in their direction, which made him an alleged threat. The attorneys representing Locke claim that he was lowering the weapon to comply with law enforcement’s instructions at the moment. The court ruled that Hanneman’s body camera footage was not clear enough to substantiate his argument.
The court said the footage provided “dim, unclear images of the incident’s critical moments.” Based on that, the court denied Hanneman’s request for qualified immunity, allowing the family’s lawsuit to proceed.
Based on the video evidence and the nature of no-knock warrants (the danger of which has led to the deaths and injury of citizens and police officers alike) it is evident that Amir Locke had virtually no time to react to a group of strange men bursting into his home.
It had previously been decided that Hanneman would not face criminal charges for taking Locke’s life, so this wrongful death lawsuit is the family’s only opportunity to get any semblance of justice in addition to financial assistance.
We will keep you abreast of how this lawsuit progresses.
