The Minneapolis cop who fatally shot an unarmed Black man sleeping on his cousin’s couch during a no-knock police raid is now heading up the department’s use-of-force training program, leading to questions about how serious the city really is about reform after the police murder of George Floyd.
Amir Locke, who was not a suspect, was fatally shot by Sgt. Mark Hanneman within 9 seconds of a SWAT team entering into the apartment in February 2022, according to bodycam video, which also shows that, while Locke had a gun in his hand under his blanket, it was pointed at the ground and his finger was not on the trigger, according to KSTP-TV.
Police were executing a no-knock warrant as part of a homicide investigation in neighboring St. Paul. The warrant was tied to Locke’s cousin, who lived in the apartment. Locke himself wasn’t named in the warrant, wasn’t a suspect, and had no criminal record. He was staying there temporarily and reportedly working as a DoorDash driver.
The officers used a key to enter, did not announce themselves until they were already inside, and encountered Locke waking up from sleep on the couch, wrapped in a blanket with his legally owned handgun nearby.
Minnesota Public Radio reported Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended Hanneman’s promotion — which MPR reports came seven months after the officer killed Locke — saying in part he’s been with the force almost a decade and is an “outstanding” trainer committed to bringing positive change to MPD.
But critics say it was the wrong move if the department is committed to reform. Locke’s mother called it a slap in the face.
“If Hanneman is one of the best officers to become a training officer, why is my son Amir Locke not here?” said Locke’s mother, Karen Wells, according to MPR. “They show they don’t care. They show that this is our culture.”
Hanneman did not face any charges in Locke’s death. Prosecutors said at the time there was “insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges.”
“With all the available evidence, we would not be able to prove in court that Officer Hanneman’s use of force was not authorized under the law beyond a reasonable doubt,” Attorney General Keith Ellison said at the time.
Officials pointed to a state statute that gives law enforcement great discretion to use deadly force if they feel threatened.
Prosecutors released a statement from Hanneman after Locke’s death. “In this moment, I feared for my life and the lives of my teammates. I felt it in the moment, if I did not use deadly force myself, I would likely be killed. There was no opportunity for me to reposition myself or retreat. There was no way for me to de-escalate the situation,” he said.
“We’re highly against him being one of the top officers that should be training other officers,” Wells told news outlets. “It was actually as if I’m dealing with a wound that will never heal, and it’s like you’re just making the wound get bigger and bigger.”
In a statement to KSTP, O’Hara said he “understands the concerns,” but added Hanneman’s involvement will advance cultural change within the department.
The city’s Office of Community Safety sent out another statement from O’Hara Wednesday, saying he remains “deeply mindful of the pain Amir Locke’s death caused his family, loved ones, and the community, as well as the profound effect on the officers involved.”
He called it a “complex issue” and noted that the “community is still hurting.”
“We continue to try and build a path forward. It is difficult,” he said.
O’Hara said Hanneman was promoted before his arrival and that after an investigation, he approved of the promotion.
“All of the feedback that I have received, both internally and externally, has been consistent – his performance has been exceptional, he has proven to be deeply committed to the reform process, and our officers see him as a credible messenger about why this department must change,” O’Hara continued.
Plenty of people, in addition to Locke’s family, are upset with the decision.
“With no explanation as to why, Frey (Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey) and O’Hara selected an officer who killed a resident to lead use-of-force trainings. This is not transparency and it’s not how you restore trust with communities brutalized by police violence,” an X user warned.
“Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended the decision to make Sgt. Mark Hanneman the head cop in charge of teaching other cops when, where and how to use force, claiming he’s an ‘outstanding’ trainer committed to bringing positive change to MPD,” another posted.
Omar Fateh wrote this on X: “Sgt. Hanneman shot and killed Amir Locke within 9 seconds of busting down his front door. Choosing him as the Minneapolis Police Department’s trainer is a betrayal of the very communities Mayor Frey and the MPD say they want to build trust with.”
The Locke family is suing the city of Minneapolis, accusing the police department of violating Amir Locke’s civil rights.
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