Protesters in Minneapolis decry police shooting of Amir Locke, no-knock warrants

Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters walked and drove through the streets of Minneapolis, calling for justice in the fatal shooting of Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man.

Locke was killed Wednesday inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment while police officers carried out a no-knock search warrant in connection with a homicide investigation out of neighboring St. Paul. Locke was not named in the warrant, and Minneapolis police were criticized for initially referring to him as a "suspect," MPR News reports.

Body cam footage released by police after the shooting shows several officers yelling, "Police! Search warrant!" as they rush into the apartment. It appears that Locke was sleeping on a couch when they came inside, and was waking up as officers came closer to him. Locke is wrapped up in a blanket, and a gun can be seen in his hand. One of the officers, Mark Hanneman, then fired three shots, hitting Locke.

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In a no-knock warrant, police are authorized to enter a private property without announcing their presence. In 2020, Minneapolis restricted the practice, but they were still used in certain cases, the Star Tribune reports. Following Locke's death, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said no-knock warrants would be suspended in the city. Critics of no-knock warrants say it is easy for a civilian to become disoriented during the chaos, and reach for a weapon.

Locke, who did not have a criminal record, was a delivery driver for DoorDash, and his family said because of an increase in carjackings, he decided to legally purchase a gun for protection. He was planning on moving to Texas in about a week to pursue a career in music.