Officers Cleared In Fatal Uptown Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Just a few hours after a grand jury cleared two Minneapolis police officers in the shooting death of a man in an Uptown basement, Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau released details about what happened that day.
For months, questions had surrounded the May 10 death of 22-year-old Terrance Franklin.
"This could have had a different outcome," the police chief said. "Terrance Franklin had numerous opportunities to surrender, but it was clear by his actions, that from the beginning he had made the decision not to get caught at any cost."
In a Thursday night press conference, the Minneapolis Police Department put on a 45-minute PowerPoint demonstration with photos and 911 calls, explaining how the events of the shooting unfolded.
It started, police said, just before 2 p.m., with someone reporting a suspected burglary near 27th Street and Lyndale Avenue South. Police responded to the scene, and Franklin sped off in a PT Cruiser, hitting a marked squad car in the process.
Franklin then drove to a bike shop near 28th Street, parked the Cruiser and ran off, eluding police.
Police made a perimeter around the area, and numerous officers were called to assist in the search.
About an hour passed before a homeowner approached an officer saying his home – on 2717 Bryant Ave. South – had a broken window on its back door.
Officers confirmed the break-in and then entered the home.
A canine officer found Franklin in the basement, but when police say he wouldn't come out, or show them his hands, they tried to force him out.
They say Franklin then grabbed an officers' submachine gun and shot two officers.
That's when two officers fired back, shooting Franklin eight times.
While Harteau said her sympathies go out to Franklin's parents, she said that she agrees with the jury.
"I fully support the actions of my officers," she said.
The attorney representing Franklin's family, Michael Padden, said Thursday he wasn't surprised officers were cleared in this case.
However, he says cell phone video from that day shows officers using racial remarks, and that it should have been used as evidence in this case.
"I'm confident that the video wasn't presented to the grand jury," he said, "and that's an important piece of evidence."
Padden says Franklin's family will now sue the police department.
The two officers that were shot still haven't returned to full duty because of their injuries.
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Minneapolis police did not talk Thursday night about a fatal motorcycle crash related to the officer-involved shooting.
Officer Joshua Young went through a red light while responding to the call about the two officers being shot. It happened about an hour after the shooting.
Ivan Romero died when his motorcycle hit the back of Young's SUV. The crash is still under investigation.
