Minneapolis, MN
Federal appeals court rejects Minneapolis officer’s bid to dismiss Amir Locke Lawsuit
A federal appeals court has rejected Minneapolis police officer Mark Hanneman’s attempt to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed by the parents of Amir Locke, the 22-year-old Black man he fatally shot during a no-knock SWAT raid in 2022.
In a ruling issued this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit dismissed Hanneman’s appeal for dismissal on the basis of qualified immunity — a legal defense that protects officers from civil lawsuits unless they violate clearly established constitutional rights. The court said it lacked jurisdiction to intervene because the appeal rested on disputed facts, which must be resolved at the trial court level.
The decision means the lawsuit brought by Locke’s family will proceed.
Locke’s parents, Karen Wells and Andre Locke, filed suit under federal civil rights law and Minnesota’s wrongful death statute. They argue Hanneman violated their son’s Fourth Amendment rights and that the City of Minneapolis failed to train officers or stop longstanding unconstitutional practices that led to Locke’s death.
The shooting occurred on Feb. 2, 2022, after Minneapolis SWAT officers executed a no-knock warrant in a downtown apartment. Locke, who was not a suspect in the investigation, was asleep on a couch when police entered. Body camera footage shows him holding a handgun — which he legally owned — before the officer fired three fatal shots.
Lawyers for Hanneman and the city argued that the body camera footage showed Locke raising and pointing the gun at officers, and that Hanneman reasonably feared for his life. They asked the district court to grant Hanneman qualified immunity and dismiss the suit. But the district court declined, ruling that the footage was too dark and inconclusive to disprove the family’s claims.
According to the complaint — and based on what the lower court called “dim, unclear images” — Locke was in the process of lowering the barrel of his gun toward the ground and attempting to comply with commands when he was shot. The court found it plausible that Locke never aimed the weapon at police.
On appeal, Hanneman’s attorneys pointed to a single still image they said showed Locke pointing the gun. But the appellate court rejected that interpretation, writing: “The image does not show definitively what direction the barrel is pointing or whether officers are located in the direction of the barrel.”
Minneapolis, MN
Robbinsdale police chase ends with driver arrested after hitting fence in Minneapolis
Authorities say a pursuit that started in Robbinsdale early Sunday morning ended with the driver being arrested after crashing into a fence in Minneapolis.
ROBBINSDALE, Minn. (FOX 9) – Authorities say a pursuit that started in Robbinsdale early Sunday morning ended with the driver being arrested after crashing into a fence in Minneapolis.
Police chase ends in crash
What we know:
Robbinsdale police spokesperson John Elder said the incident started at around 1:40 a.m. Sunday. Officers attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the stop, the driver had been suspected of drinking alcohol.
Police say the driver fled officers, and a pursuit was initiated. It went into Minneapolis, where the driver crashed into a fence near the 1200 block of West River Parkway.
Driver arrested
According to Hennepin County Jail records, a 50-year-old Montrose man was booked into the Hennepin County Jail at about 3:15 a.m. Sunday. He was arrested by Robbinsdale police on probable cause fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.
What we don’t know:
The alleged drunk driver has not yet been charged. The incident remains under investigation.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A weekend air quality alert has been issued for much of Minnesota, with health officials warning that ozone pollution could pose risks for residents.
Air quality alert covers majority of MN
What we know:
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an alert for western and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Winona, Ortonville, Mankato, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and White Earth.
The alert runs from noon Saturday, June 6, through 11 p.m. Sunday, June 7. Ozone levels are expected to reach the orange AQI category, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
High ozone levels are expected during Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with conditions improving after sunset and again Sunday morning before rising in the afternoon.
Health officials recommend moving outdoor activities outside the afternoon hours to reduce exposure.
Why you should care:
Unhealthy ozone levels can aggravate lung diseases like asthma, emphysema, and COPD. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, throat soreness, wheezing, coughing, or unusual fatigue.
People at higher risk include those with asthma or other breathing conditions, children, teenagers, people doing heavy outdoor activity, and some healthy individuals who are more sensitive to ozone.
Precautions and pollution reduction tips
What you can do:
Everyone should take precautions when air quality is unhealthy. Limit or postpone physical activity, avoid busy roads and wood fires, and keep relief inhalers handy if you have breathing conditions.
To help reduce ozone pollution, officials suggest reducing vehicle trips, filling up gas tanks at dawn or dusk, using public transportation or carpooling, postponing use of gas-powered lawn equipment, and avoiding backyard fires.
Ozone is produced on hot, sunny days when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react with sunlight. The current weather forecast of mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures, and low humidity is creating ideal conditions for higher ozone levels across the region.
The Source: Information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
As an estimated 10,000+ Prince fans make a trip to downtown to honor his life, legacy, and music, Minneapolis city leaders are hopeful it can also serve as the first step to the city’s economic recovery.
Six months after the beginning of Operation Metro Surge, Meet Minneapolis estimates the eight-week-long federal immigration effort disrupted more than 70 million in wages in the hospitality industry – impacting the more than 4,600 people employed at hotels, restaurants, shops and more.
“Today is about turning the page,” said Melvin Tennant, CEO and President of Meet Minneapolis. “(It’s about) letting people know firsthand with their own eyes that things are really wonderful in downtown Minneapolis.”
Tennant says the hurt of Metro Surge came as Minneapolis had just begun to rebound from COVID-19. Hotel occupancy in 2024-2026 had just crossed 55% citywide.
This summer marks the return of many large scale events, including the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship, Special Olympics USA Games, WWE SummerSlam, and multiple outdoor World Cup related events.
“It’s absolutely vital for us to recover,” Tennant said.
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