MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Two Minneapolis police officers involved in the November fatal shooting of a black man will not face charges, a Minnesota prosecutor said Wednesday.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said his decision to not charge Officer Mark Ringgenberg and Officer Dustin Schwarze for their roles in the death of 24-year-old Jamar Clark was based on evidence that showed Clark was not handcuffed at the time of the shooting, had attempted to gain control of an officer’s weapon and that the officers believed they were in danger of being shot.
At one point, Freeman said, Clark told the officers: “I’m ready to die.”
Freeman painstakingly detailed his decision, starting with an account from police reports and witness reports of what happened on the night of Nov. 15. He said that police said they responded to the scene after paramedics called for help, saying an assault suspect was interfering with their attempts to treat the victim.
Clark kept putting his hands in his pockets and refused police orders to show his hands, Freeman said. Officers tried to handcuff Clark but couldn’t, so Ringgenberg took Clark to the ground, and during a struggle, Clark got his hands on Ringgenberg’s weapon, Freeman said.