Police killed Locke February 2 while they executed a warrant in which he wasn’t named, and that didn’t require police to knock and give any occupant a chance to open the door.
This is a “disappointing day for the family,” said Jeff Storms, a Locke family attorney, but also emphasized they are not without hope.
“They just have a very strong belief that the incredible wrong that happened to Amir is going to save other people’s lives,” Storms told CNN. “They’re not going to let the lack of criminal charges slow them down one bit.”
A brief body camera video of Locke’s shooting shows an officer quietly sliding a key into the apartment’s door. After the door opens, a group of officers barge in, yelling commands. Locke, who appeared to be sleeping, gets up holding a gun his family said he legally owned. Police then opened fire.
“After a thorough review of all available evidence, however, there is insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges in this case,” Freeman said in a statement Wednesday.
“Specifically, the State would be unable to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the elements of Minnesota’s use-of-deadly-force statute that authorizes the use of force by Officer (Mark) Hanneman. Nor would the State be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt a criminal charge against any other officer involved in the decision-making that led to the death of Amir Locke,” Freeman continued.
During a news conference Wednesday, Ellison and Freeman said they met with the family Wednesday morning and spoke with them at length.
“We expressed our personal sympathies and empathies with the family,” said Freeman. “They, like us, are very frustrated with no-knock warrants.”
Ellison later added, “I can’t think of a more dignified family under the circumstances that they’re in and I hope the community continues to rally around them.”
Locke’s family still plans to move forward with a civil suit, and these lack of criminal charges have “no impact” on that plan, Storms said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.