BCA Releases All Bodycam Video From Officers In Raid That Left Amir Locke Dead
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has released all of its evidence related to the shooting of of Amir Locke, including hundreds of pictures, and body-worn camera footage from every officer involved in the raid, showing 12 different perspectives.
On Feb. 2, SWAT team members executed the no-knock warrant on behalf of St. Paul police at an apartment inside Bolero Flats in downtown Minneapolis. The warrant was in connection with the fatal shooting of Otis Elder in January.
Body camera footage shows an officer use a key to unlock the front door of an apartment rented by Locke's cousin Marlon Speed, the brother of 17-year-old Mekhi Camden Speed -- who was one of two teenagers arrested in connection to the St. Paul homicide that prompted the no-knock search warrant.
Officers began yelling "police" and "search warrant" as they passed through the door. Seconds later, officers kicked the couch where Locke was sleeping under a blanket. Locke sat up and lifted a handgun before Officer Mark Hanneman shot him three times. About 10 seconds passed from the moment officers entered the apartment until Locke was shot. Locke died minutes later.
The footage released Monday clearly shows that Locke had a gun -- which he had a permit to carry -- and investigators say that gun was pointed at officers. Hanneman's bodycam video shows the officer taking aim at Locke and shooting, before he or another officer yells, "He's got a gun!" After Locke is shot, Hanneman -- as seen in Officer Aaron Pearson's camera -- tackles Locke to the ground while screaming "drop the gun!"
Meanwhile, Sgt. Troy Carlson searches the bedroom. Marlon Speed is seen raising his hands. His girlfriend, Tatyana Henderson, is under a blanket next to him.
"Please don't shoot her!" Speed said.
The BCA report reveals Speed learned of his cousin's death during interviews with investigators. During Henderson's interview, she said she thought someone was breaking in, adding she didn't think Locke would be wanted for anything.
"He really just liked to make music and mostly kept to himself," Henderson said.
Last week, prosecutors decided not to charge Hanneman in the fatal shooting, saying there was "insufficient admissible evidence."
Hanneman opted to provide a written statement instead of a voluntary interview. In it, he said he thought Locke was not following Sgt. Carlson's commands to show his hands.
"There was no opportunity for me to reposition myself or retreat. There was no way for me to de-escalate this situation. The threat to my life and the lives of my teammates was imminent and terrifying," Hanneman wrote.
It was a different cousin of Locke -- Mehki Speed -- who was one of two teenagers arrested in connection to the St. Paul homicide that prompted the search warrant.
