Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis police officer was fired in February for liking pro-lynching comment, department document shows
The Minneapolis Police Department fired an officer in February for liking a comment on social media supporting the lynching of a Black man, according to Internal Affairs documents.
The comment in question was made in March 2024 in a Facebook group called Minneapolis Police Officers and Civilian Employees, Current and Retired, which has no official affiliation with the department, police said.
In response to a news article about a suspect accused of killing a police officer, someone commented, “Get a [r]ope and find a tree,” and Klimmek liked the comment from his personal account, the MPD investigation found. The suspect appeared to be Black.
Klimmek admitted to liking the comment in an investigative interview, but said he did not know the phrase carried any racial connotations. He said he liked it because, “I was probably supportive of that post, uh, the death penalty for someone who murdered a police officer,” MPD documents show.
WCCO has reached out to the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis for comment.
“Officer Klimmek’s claim of not knowing that the phrase, ‘Get a rope and find a tree’ is affiliated with an unquestionably violent history of racism and slavery, and his claimed lack of knowledge demonstrates how out of touch he is with history,” then-Chief Brian O’Hara wrote in his findings. “The public cannot trust his judgment, and I cannot trust his judgment.”
In his investigative interview, Klimmek “did not express any remorse for his actions,” the department said, and he “just does not understand or appreciate his role in upholding the public trust or the betrayal of that trust inherent in the comment that he liked.”
O’Hara said Klimmek’s conduct “has had a serious negative impact on the professionalism of the MPD and has demonstrated a serious lack of integrity, ethics and character related to his fitness to hold his position.”
He added later in the document that “officers do not have the power of ‘judge, jury, and executioner.’ Even if Officer Klimmek believes in the death penalty, which he is certainly entitled to, officers must respect due process and conduct themselves accordingly so as to not call into question their fitness to serve.”
The department terminated Klimmek on Feb. 20 for violating its social media conduct policies. He received one-on-one social media policy training in 2015, the investigation noted.
Minneapolis Police Department records show three previous disciplinary measures for Klimmek, all suspensions. In 2020, he stood by while a security officer punched a handcuffed suspect in the stomach. In 2021, he ran a red light and caused a crash. And in 2024, he failed to properly search a suspect and allowed him to bring a loaded handgun into the Hennepin County Jail.
The department’s online dashboard shows at least 20 complaints against Klimmek since 2012, four of which are still open.
O’Hara noted in his decision that Klimmek’s actions came after the murder of George Floyd and investigations by both the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and U.S. Department of Justice that found a pattern of racial discrimination by the department.
O’Hara himself resigned in May after an internal investigation found he interfered with a probe into his own actions.
Minneapolis, MN
Marilyn Savage, St. Cloud State Educator And Media Pioneer, Remembered July 18 In Cokato
June 24, 1938 – June 19, 2026
Marilyn Ardis Savage, 87 died from Parkinson’s disease on June 19, 2026 at Ave Maria. She was born June 24, 1938 in Minneapolis, MN to Elmer S. and Mabel A. (Salmela) Sako.
Marilyn graduated from North High class of 1956. She went on to get a Bachelor’s of Science at the U of M. In 1960 she started teaching at John Hay Elementary. In 1975 she married Carl Savage and they went on a leadership conference for media specialists for their honeymoon. In 1982 Marilyn completed her Masters of Science in Information Media at SCSU. Marilyn and Carl were active in the MN Educational Media Organization and published the Minnesota Media magazine. They worked in a group to create Information Media guidelines for the state of MN and Marilyn spoke at events and invited other teachers to observe the curriculum in her media center.
Marilyn touched a lot of lives as a teacher. She was well liked and respected by her students. She commented that it was important to have good relationships with students because you never know when one is going to become your anesthesiologist!
Marilyn and Carl loved to travel and spent many summers in TN visiting his family and in FL where they bought property where they planned on retiring. Their trips were full of adventures like when they unknowingly traveled with a couple of identity thieves.
Marilyn became a widow in 1991 and retired from Zachary Lane Elementary in 1997. Retirement gave her the opportunity to pursue her love of travel. She and her best friend, Jan Sorell, traveled to China and Hawaii together as well as many other smaller trips. Marilyn also visited her nephew in Alaska and even volunteered at a summer camp in Finland. She remained active in her community, helping plan YMCA fundraising events. One of her greatest joys was spending time with her close friends in the “Lunch Bunch,” who gathered each week at their favorite restaurant.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Carl, sister Evon and fur babies Sase, Sadie and Chloe.
She is survived by nieces Lauren Sako (Scott Krein) Jamestown, ND; Elaine (Keith) Pyle Crystal Lake, IL; stepson Clay (Anita) Savage Hernando, MS; nephew Dave (Lisa) Hendrick Anchorage, AK; niece Theresa Brown Counce, TN; grandnephew Benjamin Salomonsen Hubert, NC; grandniece Natalie (Nik) Eccless Duelm, MN; two great grandnieces and many cousins.
A celebration of life will be held at Benson Funeral Home on July 18th. Visitation at 10am and service at 11am. Lunch after the service. Following the luncheon, Marilyn will be laid to rest at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Carl & Marilyn Savage Scholarship in Information Media at St. Cloud State University. https://scsu.mn/give
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis chief communications officer Adam Fetcher out amid possible criminal charges
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis’ chief communications officer, Adam Fetcher, is out of his job and now faces possible legal trouble.
Adam Fetcher’s departure from city hall
What we know:
City officials say Adam Fetcher’s last day as chief communications officer was Monday, July 1.
Fetcher, who previously worked in the Obama administration, started his role with the City of Minneapolis last year. The city has not shared any further details about the circumstances surrounding Fetcher’s departure.
Legal questions for the former official
What they’re saying:
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says it has received a case involving Fetcher and added that charges are possible. Fetcher’s attorney had no comment.
The nature of the case has not been made clear by officials.
What we don’t know:
It is not clear what the case involving Fetcher is about or what specific charges, if any, might be filed.
The Source: Information from the City of Minneapolis and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, Hamel women accused of stealing millions in federal funds due in court Thursday
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS continues to track the latest fraud developments.
Two of the 15 defendants accused of stealing federal program money back in May are due in court on Thursday morning, and a deal with prosecutors could be taking shape.
Fahima Egeh Mahamud, 50, of Minneapolis, and Jillaine Mertens, 42, of Hamel have plea agreement hearings at the Minneapolis federal courthouse.
Prosecutors say Mertens collected more than $400,000 in fraudulent claims across three childcare centers in Ramsey, Rochester and Kasson.
Mahumud is accused of taking $5.5 million in taxpayer money through her daycare, Future Leaders.
Both cases are set for plea agreement hearings Thursday morning in federal court.
Top federal officials came to Minnesota in May to announce the charges against the 15 defendants.
PREVIOUS: DOJ charges 15 defendants accused of collectively defrauding $90 million
They are alleging that fraudsters exploited programs meant to help vulnerable populations — including the now-defunct Housing Stabilization Services program, which was designed to connect homeless Minnesotans with housing, and the Early Intensive Behavioral Development Intervention (EIDBI) program for children with autism.
This is a developing story. Download the KSTP app below to get the latest updates.
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