Federal Lawyers to Investigate Minneapolis Officer-Involved Shooting

Attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice are in Minneapolis to investigate the killing of 24-year-old Jamar Clark. 

The key issue during their visit will be whether police should release videos of the shooting to the public. 

Federal and state authorities have thus far resisted releasing the footage.  Cameras from an ambulance, mobile police camera, public housing cameras and cell phone footage caught the shooting. However, police say none of the videos show the full incident and that releasing them could compromise the investigation. 

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has asked Clark’s family and representatives from Black Lives Matter to meet with the federal lawyers.   Dayton also announced that he has seen the ambulance video from the shooting, and that the footage is inconclusive.  Dayton said he watched less than a minute of the footage on Friday.  He declined to describe it, but did say that it doesn’t complete exonerate the officers or support claims that Clark was handcuffed.  

Clark was shot in the head on November 15 by Minneapolis police.  He died the next day after being taken off of life support. 

Police say Clark was a suspect in a domestic assault and was shot after allegedly interfering with paramedics who were trying to provide first aid to the victim. 

The shooting sparked protests after some witnesses said the man was handcuffed and not resisting when he was shot.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified Officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze as being involved in the shooting.  It is unclear which officer shot Clark. 

An attorney for Schwarze issued a statement last week saying that Clark had control of an officer’s gun during the struggle. 

The BCA is investigating the incident. 

A federal civil rights investigation has also been launched.