Page 6 The Skanner August 1, 2018
News
No Charges Against Minneapolis Officers in Black Man’s Death
By Youssef Rddad, Amy
Forliti, Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS— Two
Minneapolis police offi-
cers who shot and killed
a Black man last month
were justified in using
deadly force, a prosecu-
tor announced Monday,
saying the man was flee-
ing police and turned to-
ward them with a loaded
gun before he was shot.
Hennepin County At-
torney Mike Freeman
said Thurman Blevins
had refused commands
to stop and show his
hands, and was clearly a
danger to the officers and
community.
“Their decision to use
deadly force against Mr.
Blevins under those cir-
cumstances was autho-
rized,” Freeman said,
adding that the officers
will not be criminally
charged.
His statements were
in prepared remarks
that were handed out
to the media. Freeman
had tried to make the
announcement during
a news conference, but
he was shouted down by
Blevins’ friends and fam-
ily members. They argue
Blevins was no threat to
anybody and was just
sitting with a woman and
his child.
“He was forced to run
away from his family so
they wouldn’t shoot him
down in his own commu-
nity in front of his kid,”
said Sydnee Brown, a
cousin.
Freeman’s
decision
came after the city re-
leased
the
officers’
body-camera video late
Sunday. Freeman’s re-
port says Officers Justin
Schmidt and Ryan Kelly
were responding to a 911
call of a man firing a gun
into the air June 23 on the
city’s north side. Body
camera videos show
them pulling their cruis-
er up and Blevins seated
on a curb near a woman
with a child in a stroller.
As the officers pull up,
one says, “He’s got a gun!”
and they jump from the
squad car.
Schmidt yells “Put your
(expletive) hands up
now!” as Blevins runs.
Schmidt also yells, “Put
your hands up! I will (ex-
pletive) shoot you!” Kelly
yells, “Stop or I’ll shoot!”
repeatedly.
In a chase that takes less
than a minute, Blevins
yells back, “I didn’t do
nothing bro,” ‘’Please
don’t shoot” and “Leave
me alone.” An enhanced
version of the videos
has a red circle drawn
around what appears to
be a gun in Blevins’ right
hand, as he looks over his
left shoulder at the offi-
cers.
After the chase turns
down an alley, Blevins is
shot, still running.
At Freeman’s aborted
news conference, Jeniff-
er Rohr, a friend of the
Blevins family, criticized
the officer who said “He’s
got a gun.”
“He just gave himself
a license to shoot Mr.
Blevins,” Rohr said. She
said Blevins was “assas-
sinated.” Others were up-
set that Blevins was shot
while running away.
In interviews with
investigators, Schmidt
said he feared for his life
when he saw Blevins take
his gun out of his pocket.
Kelly said he believed the
gun was aimed directly
at him, and he was “pret-
ty sure” Blevins fired the
weapon at him.
The report from Free-
man’s office says a shell
casing from Blevins’ gun
was found near his body.
In a conference call with
reporters, Freeman said
authorities can’t be cer-
tain that Blevins shot at
the officers, but it is ir-
relevant to the charging
decision. He said merely
pointing a handgun at
officers is a threat that
allows the officers to pro-
tect themselves.
“For our evaluation, the
mere fact that he pointed
a loaded handgun that he
had fired earlier in the
day ... gives officers justi-
fication to fire his weap-
on,” Freeman said.
Freeman said toxicol-
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT VIA AP
Thurman Blevins was killed June 23
This June 23, 2018, image from multiple police cam videos provided by the Minneapolis Police Department
shows a chase between Officers Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly and suspect Thurman Blevins, in
Minneapolis. Authorities in Minneapolis released the body camera video Sunday, July 29 from the two
police officers in the fatal shooting of Blevins, with the footage showing the man shot from behind after
a frenetic foot chase and what appeared to be a gun in his hand.
ogy reports on Blevins
showed his blood-alco-
hol content was 0.162,
double the legal limit
for driving. Blevins also
had THC, a component
of marijuana, and oth-
er drugs in his system.
Freeman said that was
also irrelevant to his de-
cision.
Freeman said the offi-
cers fired 14 shots and
Celebration of Life:
James Harmon
Unthank
September 3, 1938
- July 12, 2018
James Unthank
A memorial service for
James Unthank is sched-
uled for Tuesday, Aug. 7,
2018, 2 p.m. at St. Philip
the Deacon Episcopal
Church, 120 N.E. Knott
St., Portland, Ore.
Arrangements by Ter-
ry Family Funeral Home.
Blevins was hit four
times.
Lt. Bob Kroll, the head
of the police union, said
the body camera footage
proved the two officers
acted justifiably.
“The officers deserve
the Minneapolis Police
Department’s
highest
award — the Medal of
Honor — and the re-
spect of the population it
swore to protect,” Kroll
said.
A protest of Blevins’
death was planned for
Tuesday afternoon at the
Hennepin County Gov-
ernment Center.
Some witnesses had
disputed Blevins was
armed, saying he was
carrying a bottle or a
See BLEVINS on page 7
Obituary: Zane Hanks
February 19, 1930 - July 25, 2018
Zane Hanks
worked
for
died at his
Bonneville
home on July
Power Admin-
25, 2018, at the
istration for
age of 88. He
25 years, retir-
was born Feb-
ing in 1985.
ruary 19, 1930
Zane is sur-
in Kansas City,
vived by three
sons, Michael,
Mo.
Laurence, and
He attended
Zane Hanks
Stephen, and
Manhattan
High School, graduat- several cousins, neph-
ing in 1948. Zane was ews, and nieces. He was
drafted into the Navy preceded in death by
after high school and his wife Fern, and his
served in the Korean brother Billy Hanks.
A memorial service
War.
In 1952, He was trans- was held at Hustad Fu-
ferred to the Navy sta- neral Home on Sunday,
tion in Astoria, Ore. In July 29, 2018 at 1 p.m. In-
1957 he met Fern Mc- terment will be at Wil-
Coy and they married lamette National Ceme-
in February 1957. Zane tery, Portland, Ore.