Blevins Family Shuts Down Meeting Before BCA Leader Speaks

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A meeting where the head of the state's top criminal investigative bureau was supposed to address the community ended before it began on Thursday night.

Family members of Thurman Blevins shut the meeting down, which was organized by the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage. BCA superintendent Drew Evans was invited to attend, and to speak about how his agency investigates officer-involved shootings.

Blevins was killed by Minneapolis police officers responding to a call of a man firing a gun in residential neighborhood late last month.

Police maintain Blevins had a gun on him, and ran from officers for several blocks before the shooting. But many in the community have called this death a "murder."

"I am not OK with the BCA and their presence over-boarding this. However, whoever organized this, the main focus should have been Thurman Blevins, period," said the sister of Blevins.

BCA Superintendent Drew Evans left the meeting before he had a chance to speak.

A funeral for Thurman Blevins is scheduled for Saturday.

Representatives from the BCA did not appear at similar events following other high-profile officer-involved shootings like the killing of Jamar Clark, Philando Castile and Justine Damond.