Two Minneapolis police officers involved in the shooting death of Jamar Clark will not be charged, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
The decision to not criminally charge Officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze in connection with the Nov. 15 death of Clark — a 24-year-old black male who died from a gunshot wound to the head — comes after months of tension in between Minneapolis’ North Side and the city’s police department. Clark’s death sparked numerous Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests and rallies across the city, as the two officers are white.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the decision in a press conference Wednesday, saying the decision to not charge was based on the officers’ testimony, witness statements and forensic evidence. A police union official had said Clark was trying to grab one of the officers’ guns when he was fatally shot, while some witnesses said he was handcuffed when shot.
However, Freeman said Clark’s DNA was found on the grip of Ringgenberg’s gun, mace container and holster.
Clark, who had no weapon on him, was shot 61 seconds after police first approached him. During the altercation, Clark said on more than one occasion, “I am ready to die,” according to the investigation. The officers were responding to a domestic violence call nearby, reports say.
Freeman, who had the final say in the decision, did nevertheless say that the early-morning shooting was not justified.
The Hennepin Count Attorney’s Office announced earlier this month that it would eliminate the use of a grand jury in police shootings going forward. The investigation was conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
