Hundreds in Minneapolis protest police killing of black man during “no knock” raid

Hundreds of protesters marched in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday demanding justice in the fatal police shooting of a young black man, Mr. Amir Locke, during a “no knock” raid on his apartment earlier in the week.

The crowd chanted Mr Locke’s name along with the slogan “no justice, no peace,” rallied at Government Plaza in Minnesota’s largest city three days after Mr. Locke, 22, was shot on his couch by police.

The day after the killing, police released video footage from the raid, which showed Mr Locke was holding a gun as he twisted beneath a blanket on his sofa after being roused by officers moments before he was slain.

Police have said the officers were exercising a “no-knock” search warrant, which authorizes police to enter private property without first alerting occupants or announcing their presence.

The warrant was issued in relation to a homicide probe led by detectives from the neighboring Saint Paul Police Department. Locke was not named in the warrant, and Minneapolis police have acknowledged it was unclear how or whether he was connected to that investigation.

On Thursday, interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman told a news conference the county attorney’s office was reviewing the shooting, and that video from the incident appeared to show Locke’s gun pointed toward officers when they opened fire.

Activists at the protest said Locke had a right to possess a weapon in his own home and was never given the chance to disarm himself when police entered his building.

On Friday, Mayor Jacob Frey responded to the Locke shooting, ordering a moratorium on “no-knock” search warrants, saying he was acting to “ensure safety of both the public and officers until a new policy is crafted.”