Two Minneapolis police officers were "authorized" to use deadly force against Thurman Blevins, prosecutors announced Monday, adding that no criminal charges will be brought against the officers.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a prepared statement that Blevins, 31, repeatedly failed to comply with the officers' orders and fled the scene armed with a loaded handgun after officers Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly approached him, in response to a 911 report of a man firing a gun into the air.
Freeman said that in the June 23 incident, Blevins "posed an immediate threat" to the officers and others when he, at one point during the pursuit, took the gun out of his pocket and turned toward the officers. The officers, both white, responded by fatally shooting Blevins, who is black. Both officers' bullets struck Blevins.
Freeman planned to read the full 11-page prepared remarks in a news conference Monday, but Blevins' cousin Sydnee Brown, joined by other family members and friends, interrupted the event and disputed the police's account. They argued that Blevins wasn't a threat to anybody in the community.
"He was forced to run away from his family so they wouldn't shoot him down in his own community in front of his kid," Brown told reporters at the podium, after Freeman and other officials left the room. Blevins had three daughters and two stepsons, the Star Tribune reported.
"That's what the black community has to face, day by day, second by second, as they continue to try to live and survive there in north Minneapolis," she added.
Officials released to the full remarks to the press after the truncated news conference.
On Sunday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly released body camera footage from both officers' of the June shooting. Instead of clarifying the details of the shooting, the footage appeared to instead solidify two versions of how the shooting unfolded.
Here's what we know about the fatal shooting of Blevins.
What do the body cam videos show?
In the released footage, a dispatcher can be heard relaying a 911 report of an "intoxicated male" discharging his weapon in the air. After a few minutes, the officers approach Blevins in the squad car, believing him to be the man who matched the description of the suspect provided by the 911 report.
One of the officers is heard saying, "He's got a gun," right before one quickly exits the passenger side of the vehicle to begin running toward Blevins.
In the video, Blevins is initially seen seated on a curb, next to an unidentified woman who is standing with her arms around a child in a stopped stroller. Blevins is holding the leash of a dog, which is standing behind him, when the police arrive.
"Put your [expletive] hands up!" one of the officers is heard yelling at Blevins. There are more orders laced with expletives for Blevins to stop and put his hands up as the officers give chase. One of the officers threatened to shoot Blevins if he didn't put down the gun.
Not mentioned in prosecutors' statement Monday is how Blevins is also heard yelling back "I didn't do nothing, bro," "Please don't shoot me!" and "Leave me alone!" during the foot chase.
The pursuit ended in an alley where both officers shot Blevins multiple times. A forensics lab determined that "no less than 14 gunshots" can be heard on the shaky body cam footage, according to the prosecutors' statement read. Blevins was hit four times.
Also, by Minnesota Public Radio's count, about 40 seconds "elapse between the time the officers report seeing a gun, and when the shots are fired."
Prosecutors said the footage showed a gun "protruding from Mr. Blevins' right pants pocket." In a slowed-down version of the videos, police use red circles to identify the apparent gun on Blevins' person at the start of the incident and in his hand at the time of the shooting.
What the family says
DuPrece Slaughter (C) speaks about his uncle, Thurman Blevins, at a June vigil for him in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
At Monday's news conference, Blevins' cousin Sydnee Brown said the officers didn't de-escalate the situation when they first approached him. Brown said Blevins' family want the officers to be charged with a crime soon.
"[Blevins] and that police officer had a full conversation while running for two blocks," Blevins' cousin Rashan Brown told local TV station WCCO. "Those officers were never in danger, and if he was in danger, he should have opened fire when he saw Thurman Blevins sitting on that corner," he added.
What police say
Officers Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly, in separate interviews with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apphrehension, said Blevins pointed a gun at them during the pursuit.
Schmidt said, according to his interview, that "when the gun came out I feared for my life. I feared for my partner's life." After shooting Blevins in response, Schmidt said he saw a gun next to Blevins' right hand.
Kelly, in his interview, mirrored what Schmidt said about Blevins being armed, saying he was "pretty sure" Blevins fired his gun.
It should be said that it doesn't appear to be immediately clear if Blevins actually opened fire on the officers. Freeman said later Monday that, "I cannot tell you that there is sufficient proof that [Blevins], in fact, lined it up and shot at the officers," MPR reported.
Freeman did say the gun was fired three times.
Both officers are currently on paid administrative leave.
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said in a statement Monday that he accepted the prosecutor's decision, but declined to comment further. The statement added that the chief will "continue to remain engaged, active and listen throughout the community."
Lt. Bob Kroll, the police union head, told reporters Monday that the officers deserved the Minneapolis Police Department's Medal of Honor "and the respect of the population it swore to protect."
Kroll said the body camera footage showed that the officers were justified in their actions.
What's next?
An internal investigation into the officers' actions is expected to be launched.
Protesters also plan on gathering in downtown Minneapolis this afternoon to renew their calls for justice over Blevins' death.