Charges announced against 17-year-old in homicide investigation that led to Amir Locke's death

Prosecutors in Ramsey County, Minnesota, filed homicide charges against 17-year-old Mekhi Speed, the cousin of 22-year-old Amir Locke, who was killed by Minneapolis police in a no-knock raid last week, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday.
Speed was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the Jan. 10 shooting of 38-year-old Otis Elder. One witness said the St. Paul shooting may have been the result of a drug deal gone bad. Police arrested Speed in Winona, Minnesota, on Monday. The charges filed against him include the prosecutors' motion to have Speed tried as an adult.
Locke, who was not a target of the homicide investigation, was shot and killed by police Wednesday as they executed no-knock raids on three apartments in the Bolero Flats apartment community in Minneapolis to which Speed was known to have access.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to a local CBS affiliate, "body-camera footage showed the 22-year-old [Locke] was sleeping on a couch when the [SWAT] team entered the living room. As he awoke, Locke grabbed his handgun nearby and was soon shot three times by [Officer Mark] Hanneman."
Officers can be heard yelling, "Police! Search warrant!" as they rush into the apartment.
Protesters in Minneapolis marched to City Hall on Monday, calling on Mayor Jacob Frey to fire Hanneman and the city's interim police chief, Amelia Huffman.
Following Locke's death, Frey said no-knock warrants would be suspended in the city.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
The Week contest: Amazon Bond
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
6 grand homes in Boulder
Feature Featuring a mountain-facing balcony in Lower Chautauqua and a clover-shaped home in Flagstaff
By The Week US Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Police ID driver of exploded Cybertruck, can't see motive
Speed Read An Army Green Beret detonated a homemade bomb in a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Teenage girl kills 2 in Wisconsin school shooting
Speed Read 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow fatally shot a teacher and student at Abundant Life Christian School
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Penny acquitted in NYC subway choking death
Speed Read Daniel Penny was found not guilty of homicide in the 2023 choking death of Jordan Neely
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Suspect in CEO shooting caught, charged with murder
Speed Read Police believe 26-year-old Luigi Mangione killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in 'brazen, targeted' hit
Speed Read Police are conducting a massive search for Brian Thompson's shooter
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published