Minneapolis mayor: Police to release shooting bodycam video

Source: Associated Press


Youssef Rddad, Associated Press
 Updated 5:56 pm, Wednesday, June 27, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis police will release body camera footage of the fatal shooting of a black man "in the near future," the city's mayor said, while community activists continued Wednesday to call for greater transparency in a city with a history of high-profile police shootings that have prompted numerous protests.

Thurman Blevins Jr., 31, was shot and killed Saturday after Officers Ryan Kelly and Justin Schmidt pursued him on foot for several blocks and into a north Minneapolis alley. Investigators said Kelly and Ryan were responding to at least one report of a man firing a handgun.

The head of the police union has said Blevins ignored commands to drop the gun and pulled it out before the officers fired. Some community members insist Blevins was not armed and have called for the swift release of body camera footage. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says a black and silver gun was recovered from the scene.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he ordered the release of the body camera video, saying it would be released "in the near future," but only after Blevins' family is consulted and the bureau finishes interviewing key witnesses.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Minneapolis-mayor-Police-to-release-shooting-13029971.php