Amir Locke’s cousin arrested over shooting that sparked deadly raid

Minnesota authorities have arrested Amir Locke’s 17-year-old cousin in connection with the homicide that was being investigated when police entered Locke’s apartment with a no-knock warrant and killed him, according to The Associated Press. 

In a Twitter thread on Tuesday, the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) said authorities arrested a teen in connection with the homicide of Otis Elder, a 38-year-old father of two, who was killed on Jan. 10.

The motive for that killing is unknown; however, the investigation led police to the apartment building where Amir Locke lived. Police had obtained a search warrant as part of their investigation into Elder’s death for the apartment where Locke had been staying, although the warrant did not name him. 

“This arrest is related to the search warrants that were served last week in Minneapolis. The search warrants related to case will likely be unsealed after charges have been filed,” the SPPD said in a tweet. 

According to the AP, court documents filed in the cousin’s arrest cite surveillance video showing the teenager, who is not named, getting out of a silver Mercedes-Benz with another individual and approaching Elder’s vehicle before “a loud gunshot was heard.”

The filings also say a witness saw the Mercedes-Benz flee the scene and that the vehicle was tracked to the apartment building where Locke was shot. 

This led to a Minneapolis-area SWAT team entering the apartment unit without knocking on Feb. 2. 

Body camera footage showed an officer, along with four others, using a key to to unlock the door and enter the apartment in the early hours of the morning, repeatedly shouting “Police, search warrant!” “Hands!” and “Get on the ground!”

The footage also showed an officer kicking a sectional sofa, where Locke was wrapped in a blanket and holding a pistol. The video ended when three shots were fired toward Locke, killing him, the AP reported. 

Police have said that Locke pointed his firearm in the direction of officers before the shooting happened; however, Locke’s family and civil rights activists have questioned the police’s initial account of the shooting. 

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) announced last week a temporary end to no-knock arrest warrants. 

The Hill has reached out to the St. Paul Police Department for comment.