No Charges Filed In Fatal Minneapolis Police Shooting Of Thurman Blevins
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman will not pursue criminal charges in the death of 31-year-old Thurman Blevins, a black man shot by Minneapolis police officers last month on the city's north side.
"Witness testimony, body camera video and forensic testing all proved that Blevins had a nine millimeter semi-automatic handgun in his hand and refused multiple commands to drop the gun during the foot chase that ended in his death on June 23," Freeman said in a statement released Monday morning.
Minneapolis police officers Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly responded to a 911 call about a man firing a gun in a north Minneapolis neighborhood. The officers shot Blevins after a short chase.
"When Mr. Blevins fled from the officers with a loaded handgun, refused to follow their commands for him to stop and show his hands and then took the gun out of his pocket and turned toward the officers, Mr. Blevins represented a danger to the lives of Officer Schmidt and Officer Kelly," Freeman said. "Their decision to use deadly force against Mr. Blevins under those circumstances was authorized by Minn. Stat. § 609.066 and as such there is no basis to issue criminal charges against either officer."
At a press conference Monday announcing his decision not to charge the officers, Freeman was interrupted by family and friends of Blevins, who took the podium after his exit.
"Mike Freeman, you better think long and hard about prosecuting these officers," a relative of Blevins said. "We're not angry. We're more so disgusted."
Some of the activists at the press conference said they wanted to see the officers arrested and charged withing 48 hours.
On Sunday night, body camera footage of the shooting was released.
Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, praised the officers for their response.
"This was nothing short of excellent police work," Kroll said.
The body camera video shows the officers pulling their cruiser up to Blevins, who was seated on a curb near a woman with a child in a stroller.
Blevins take off running. Schmidt chases him. After a verbal exchange, the chase continues into an alley.
Blevins yells, "Please don't shoot me," and then gunfire.
Kroll says Blevins fired a shot in the direction of the officers.
"I don't know exactly the seconds of the shots, but as Blevins' gun comes around, you'll see he fired," Kroll said. "It hits the pavement in the alley. The round hits the pavement right in the direction of Officer Kelly."
"Police officers never want to be forced to fire their weapons," Kroll added. "Sadly, Blevins gave them no other option."
