Missouri passed a law that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023, which makes it a felony to sleep on state-owned land, like under overpasses and bridges. At a time when rent is skyrocketing it’s horrifying to see states respond not by providing housing but by criminalizing the homeless.
This is Amir Locke. He was a son, a brother, a new business owner and wanted to make music like his father who is known to many in the Twin Cities music community as “Lil Buddy McClain”. Instead Amir was fatally shot by a Minneapolis officer seconds after he woke up Wednesday
Bodycams show us almost everything the MPD told us about Amir Locke's killing is a lie. The officers snuck into the apartment, did not announce themselves, surprised him, he did not aim a weapon at officers. The shots fired were, of course, from them. Also, he was not a suspect.
2020: Breonna Taylor was murdered by police during a no-knock warrant.
2022: Amir Locke was murdered by police during a no-knock warrant.
In the two years in between? The Senate didn’t even bring the bill to ban no-knock warrants to a vote.
The whole system is guilty.
Amir Locke was asleep, tucked under a blanket in the early morning.
10 seconds later, the Minneapolis Police shot and killed him in a no-knock warrant that he wasn’t even named on.
They entered with no regard for human life. We need justice for Amir.