Minneapolis police release bodycam video of officer-involved shooting death of 31-year-old black man
40 mins
The Minneapolis Police Department has released bodycam video of last month’s officer-involved shooting death of a 31-year-old black man, KARE-TV reported.
Thurman Blevins led Officers Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly on a foot chase that ended when the officers shot and killed the suspect. The department has faced scrutiny following Blevins’ death.
“This is just one part of an effort to bring greater transparency,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said during a news conference after police released the bodycam videos. “We can’t make our city a better place by demonizing all police or by failing to recognize that black lives do matter.”
Police made public three separate videos — two raw videos and one stabilized and analyzed video — from the body cameras worn by officers Schmidt and Kelly.
The officers remain on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
What happened?
On June 23, officers Schmidt and Kelly responded to a 911 call on the north side at 5:26 p.m. of a man firing a gun into the air and into the ground, according to police.
The caller gave a detailed description of the man and his weapon, “a silver 9 mm,” according to the 911 call transcript, the Star Tribune reported.
Officers arrived on the scene and spotted the man sitting on a curb near a woman with a child in a stroller.
“He’s got a gun,” one officer said right before they stopped the vehicle and got out.
“Put your f***ing hands up,” one officer yelled as he ran toward Blevins.
The suspect jumped up and took off running away from the police.
Blevins could be heard yelling, “I didn’t do nothing, bro’,” and “Please, don’t shoot,” but he refused the officers’ commands to stop and put his hands up.
The officers continued yelling for Blevins to stop, but he kept running and turned down an alley.
In the enhanced video, Blevins appears to have something in his right hand as turned to look back at the officers just before they fired on him.
Blevins was pronounced dead at the scene, where police recovered his gun.
He was hit multiple times, according to an autopsy.
(Content warning: The videos are graphic and contain rough language):
● Watch the stabilized and analyzed video.
● Watch the first raw video.
● Watch the second the raw video.
● Watch the first raw video.
● Watch the second the raw video.
What did Minneapolis police say?
“As this case still remains an active criminal investigation, the Minneapolis Police Department is unable to publicly comment on any facet of this incident,” the Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement Sunday, according to KARE.
Anything else?
The department has been involved in two other high-profile officer-involved shooting deaths in recent years, including Jamar Clark, 24, in November 2015, and Justine Ruszczyk Damond, 40, last summer.
Officers in the Clark case were not charged. A trial is pending for the officer who shot Damond.
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