Folks march at a rally for Amir Locke on Saturday, Feb.5, 2022, in Minneapolis. A whole lot of individuals crammed the streets of downtown Minneapolis after physique cam footage launched by the Minneapolis Police Division confirmed an officer shoot and kill Locke throughout a no-knock warrant. (AP Picture/Christian Monterrosa)
MINNEAPOLIS --
Authorities arrested Amir Locke's 17-year-old cousin Tuesday in reference to the murder investigation that led police to the Minneapolis condominium the place a SWAT staff officer fatally shot Locke whereas conducting a search warrant.
Mekhi Camden Velocity was charged with two counts of second-degree homicide within the Jan. 10 killing of Otis Elder. Prosecutors have filed a movement to have Velocity tried as an grownup; underneath Minnesota legislation, it is presumed a toddler will face trial as an grownup if they're 16 or older and the alleged crime would lead to a jail sentence or was a felony involving a firearm.
Velocity appeared in a juvenile courtroom listening to through video on Tuesday. He was in custody and seated in a room at a big desk. He wore a masks, which he pulled right down to state his title for the choose. Two protection attorneys appeared on his behalf, however the household had not retained both of them, so the listening to was postponed till subsequent week to provide the household time to decide. Velocity's mom and different members of the family had been in one of many attorneys' workplaces.
Velocity is on probation in one other case and Decide Stephen Smith ordered that Velocity stay in custody, saying that based mostly on the allegations, the courtroom discovered "ample grounds to be involved for public security."
Locke's demise has sparked protests, with a whole lot of individuals turning out for a rally Saturday in downtown Minneapolis and a right away reexamination of no-knock arrest warrants. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey final week introduced a moratorium on such warrants whereas town brings in outdoors consultants to check its coverage. Some state lawmakers are pushing for a statewide ban besides in uncommon circumstances.
St. Paul police had obtained search warrants as a part of their investigation into Elder's demise, together with a warrant for the downtown Minneapolis condominium the place Locke's household mentioned he had been staying. Minneapolis Interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman has mentioned her division had warrants that will have required authorities to knock and never knock. Huffman has mentioned that Locke was not named within the search warrants.
A Minneapolis SWAT staff entered the unit with out knocking on Feb. 2. Physique digital camera video reveals an officer utilizing a key to unlock the door and enter, adopted by no less than 4 officers in uniform and protecting vests, time-stamped at about 6:48 a.m. As they enter, they repeatedly shout, "Police, search warrant!" In addition they shout "Fingers!" and "Get on the bottom!" The video reveals an officer kick a sectional couch, and Locke is seen wrapped in a comforter, holding a pistol. Three pictures are heard, and the video ends.
Minneapolis police have mentioned that Locke was shot after he pointed his gun within the path of officers, however Locke's household has questioned that.
Attorneys for Locke's household, together with Ben Crump, mentioned in a press release that Velocity "was not current in Unit 701, the place the no-knock warrant and Amir had been each executed." The attorneys mentioned Locke "is now the newest statistic and sufferer of the damaging and intrusive no-knock warrant strategies that should be banned."
Elder, a 38-year-old father, was discovered shot and laying on the street on Jan. 10. He was pronounced useless at a neighborhood hospital. No person else has been charged in his demise.
A charging doc filed Tuesday in opposition to Velocity says police used surveillance movies to attach him to Elder's capturing after a witness instructed police that a silver Mercedes-Benz had fled the scene. The doc mentioned video confirmed the Mercedes parked close to Elder's SUV, one male received out and entered Elder's SUV on the passenger facet and one other male stood outdoors Elder's driver's door.
"This male stepped again and a loud gunshot was heard," the doc says.
Surveillance video allowed police to trace the Mercedes, which had been stolen, to the Bolero Flats condominium constructing, the place three males -- together with two who had been believed to be on the scene of Elder's capturing -- had been seen getting out. Velocity was recognized as being on the video.
Witnesses mentioned he lived together with his mom in Condominium 1402, and likewise has a key to 701 -- the place his brother lives and the place Locke was shot by police, in keeping with the doc. One other one that was recognized on the surveillance video was related to condominium 1403, prosecutors mentioned.
Further surveillance video reveals 4 males, together with Velocity, leaving the Mercedes at a close-by downtown parking ramp early on Jan. 11 -- simply hours after Elder was killed, the charging doc says. The Mercedes was not discovered till 10 days later.
Police had search warrants for condominium 701, 1402 and 1403, the charging petition mentioned. In addition they had "possible trigger choose up and holds" to arrest Velocity and two others for homicide and for aiding an offender afterward.
When authorities arrested Velocity on Monday in southeastern Minnesota, he tried to run away, however was caught. Based on the charging doc, he had a loaded gun in his jacket and has refused to speak to investigators.
On the time of Elder's killing, Velocity was on supervised probation after pleading responsible to at least one rely of second-degree assault with a harmful weapon for capturing a person within the thigh in Brooklyn Park in September 2020, in keeping with courtroom data. Velocity, who was 16 on the time, was positioned on probation till age 21, and despatched to a juvenile facility in northwestern Minnesota, the place he was to participate in an individualized remedy program, together with expertise coaching and trauma remedy, courtroom data present.
Information present he violated probation final summer time -- together with for testing optimistic for marijuana and for failing to attend college recurrently -- and he was positioned in his mom's custody final October and placed on digital monitoring for 30 days, with furloughs to attend college. He isn't allowed to have a firearm.
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