An absolutely shocking decision has been made in the fatal shooting of Amir Locke.
While serving a no-knock warrant in Minneapolis, Officer Mark Hanneman shot and killed 22-year-old Locke.
There was significant community outrage and Democrats had the officer convicted long before all of the evidence was in.
Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman announced that Officer Hanneman would not face charges.
He Had a Gun
If you remember the shooting, police entered the home and Locke appears to have been sleeping on the sofa.
As officers entered, Locke’s first reaction was to grab a pistol.
When Hanneman saw the gun, he opened fire, shooting and killing Locke.
Locke was not the subject of the warrant, and his family maintained he was innocent, but there were plenty of question marks as to why he had a gun and was in the apartment in the first place.
When Ellison got involved, most believed it was inevitable that the officer would be charged.
Instead, Ellison stated, “It would be unethical for us to file charges in a case in which we know that we will not able to prevail because the law does not support the charges.”
He continued, “Officer Hanneman perceived that Mr. Locke’s movements and production of a firearm presented a threat of death or great bodily harm that was reasonably likely to occur, and to which the officers had to respond without delay.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has since banned no-knock warrants in the city, so police must now announce their presence before entering.
Locke’s family will still more than likely pursue the case against the city in civil court, claiming that Locke was executed by the police.
The attorneys representing the family stated, “The family and its legal team are firmly committed to their continued fight for justice in the civil court system, in fiercely advocating for the passage of local and national legislation, and taking every other step necessary to ensure accountability for all those responsible for needlessly cutting Amir’s life far too short.
“Today only deepens the resolve of Amir’s family and its legal team.”
Source: New York Post
