Minneapolis police officers won't face charges in killing of unarmed black man

White police Officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze will not face charges in the fatal shooting of unarmed black man Jamar Clark in Minneapolis last fall, prosecutors announced Wednesday. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said evidence supports officers' claims that Clark attempted to grab one of their guns and that he was not handcuffed at the time he was shot in the head.

The Nov. 15 incident unfolded after police arrived at the scene of an alleged assault, where they had been told the suspect, Clark, was interfering with paramedics attempting to treat his alleged victim, his girlfriend. Witnesses claimed Clark was handcuffed and disputed officers' claims that he reached for one of their guns.

The shooting received national attention after it sparked widespread protests, including an 18-day encampment outside a Minneapolis police station near the site of the shooting.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up