By MADDIE KIRKMAN
Staff Writer
A 22-year-old black man, Amir Locke, was killed by Minneapolis police during a no-knock warrant. Police bodycam footage shows SWAT officers entering Locke’s apartment. It shows an officer kicking the sofa where Locke was sleeping on. In the footage, Locke moves and is holding a pistol wrapped in a blanket and is then shot 3 times. Locke was not named in any warrant that the Police had. The encounter only occurred in less than 10 seconds. There was no discussion or confrontation. Locke had no criminal record and his family confirmed that he was a licensed gun owner with a concealed carry permit. He carried his gun for protection while working as a food service delivery driver in the St. Paul area of Minneapolis. His family also often discussed with Locke and other men in their family about handling interactions with police. Locke had a huge dream to begin a music career. He had filed paperwork to start a music business and was planning on moving to Dallas to grow his career as a hip-hop artist. His mother, Karen Wells, said that music was his biggest passion. After Locke’s death, Mayor Jacob Frey temporarily discontinued “no-knock” search warrants to “ensure the safety of both the public and officers until a new policy is crafted.” Demonstrations in Minneapolis have called for justice for Amir Locke and for the resignation of Interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman. Locke’s father, Andre Locke, told reporters that “Amir was a bright light, and he deserves to be able to shine.”