by Jennifer Hernandez
| An officer with the Minneapolis Police Department SWAT team shot and killed a 22-year-old man early Wednesday morning during the execution of a no-knock raid, reinvigorating debate around a law-enforcement tactic that many say is ripe for abuse. The victim, Amir Locke, who appeared to be asleep on the couch that morning, was not named on that warrant. In a matter of about three seconds, body camera footage shows the man—buried under a thick white blanket—stirring to the sound of the cops' entry with his hand on the barrel of a firearm. Officer Mark Hanneman then shoots him three times. Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman initially said that Hanneman shot Locke because Locke pointed his gun "in the direction of officers." But the footage released by the government appeared to contradict that: Locke's gun was pointed to the side, and his hand was on the barrel of the weapon, not the trigger. He owned the gun legally and had a concealed carry permit, according to his family's legal representation. "My son was executed…and now his dreams have been destroyed," said Locke's mother, Karen Wells, at a press conference Friday. "They didn't even give him a chance," echoed attorney Ben Crump. —reason, February 4, 2022. Photo: USA Today, February 5, 2022 |
My child is also a deep sleeper.
If he crashes on the couch
at the home of a friend
after a night at the club or
making music or playing COD,
his head covered by a blanket
so he doesn’t see or hear
the door open, the strangers
enter the room, the strangers
kick the couch to rouse him
in the pre-dawn darkness—
If he wakes in fear at strangers—
If he grabs a weapon for protection—
will my son be shot three times
in nine seconds? Will I be left
to wail over his young body?
Will I be forced to fight
for justice? Will I?
Editor's Recommended Reading: "The Burden of the Black Mother"
Jennifer Hernandez lives in Minnesota with her husband and three sons. She teaches immigrant youth and writes poetry, flash, and creative non-fiction. Publications include Radical Teacher, Rise Up Review, Writers Resist, and This Was 2020: Minnesotans Write About Pandemics and Social Justice in a Historic Year. Her poem "Taco Love" was also featured in Poetry in the Park in the Dark sponsored by the Saint Paul Almanac.