Minneapolis Police Department Documents & Body Cam Video (2007 – 2020)

Description

Minneapolis Police: Timeline of Noteworthy Incidents and Figures

1854:

• The Saint Paul Police Department is formed.

1867:

• The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is founded.

2007 – 2020:

• The provided documents and body cam videos cover this period for the Minneapolis Police Department, including various incidents, reports, and administrative data.

May 10, 2013:

• Officer-Involved Shooting of Terrance Franklin: An MPD officer-involved shooting occurs. A presentation is later made to a grand jury regarding this incident, including photographs and audio of police radio traffic.

2015 – 2016:

• Black Lives Matter Protests: MPD engages in communications with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) concerning Black Lives Matter protests in Minneapolis during these years.

July 15, 2017:

• Death of Justine Damond Ruszczyk: Justine Maia Damond (née Ruszczyk), an Australian-American woman, is fatally shot by MPD officer Mohamed Mohamed Noor after she calls 9-1-1 to report a possible assault.

2018:

• MPD Ketamine Use Report: The Star Tribune reports that Minneapolis police officers have repeatedly asked emergency medical responders to use ketamine to sedate restrained suspects and others.
• Liu Qiangdong Rape Arrest: Liu Qiangdong, a Chinese billionaire businessman, is arrested by the MPD after a rape accusation. He is later released and returns to China.

March 20, 2018:

• Officer Mohamed Mohamed Noor is arrested and charged in connection with the death of Justine Damond Ruszczyk.

June 23, 2018:

• Officer-Involved Shooting of Thurman Blevins Jr.: MPD officers respond to a 911 call about a man firing a gun. They encounter Blevins, who is armed, and shoot him in the back during a foot chase. Body cam video from multiple officers is available for this incident.

November 9, 2018:

• Officer-Involved Shooting of Travis Matthew Jordan: An MPD officer shoots Travis Matthew Jordan while responding to a report of a suicidal man. Jordan was shot when he failed to drop a large kitchen knife and ran toward officers. Body cam video from multiple officers is available for this incident.

April 2019:

• Officer Mohamed Mohamed Noor is convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of Justine Damond Ruszczyk. He is subsequently sentenced to 12.5 years in prison.
• A lawsuit brought by Justine Damond Ruszczyk’s family is settled for $20 million, one of the largest settlements for a police killing.

August 2, 2019:

• Officer-Involved Shooting of Mario Philip Benjamin: An officer-involved shooting occurs involving Mario Philip Benjamin.

May 25, 2020:

• Death of George Perry Floyd: George Perry Floyd, a Black man, dies in Minneapolis Police custody during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. MPD officer Derek Michael Chauvin kneels on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd is handcuffed and lying face down.
• Derek Michael Chauvin is initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The complaint is later amended to include a second-degree murder charge.
• Three other officers involved are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

June 2020:

• As of this month, the MPD employs sworn police officers and 300 civilian employees.

Cast of Characters

Principle People Mentioned:

• George Perry Floyd: (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) A Black man who died in Minneapolis Police custody on May 25, 2020, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. His death sparked widespread protests.
• Derek Michael Chauvin: (born March 19, 1976) A white MPD police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, leading to Floyd’s death. He was charged with third-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and later second-degree murder.
• Justine Maia Damond (née Ruszczyk): (April 4, 1977 – July 15, 2017) A 40-year-old Australian-American woman who was fatally shot by MPD officer Mohamed Mohamed Noor after she called 9-1-1 to report a possible assault.
• Mohamed Mohamed Noor: (born October 20, 1985) A Somali-American MPD police officer who fatally shot Justine Damond Ruszczyk. He was arrested, charged, and later convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter, receiving a 12.5-year prison sentence.
• Thurman Blevins Jr.: (Died June 23, 2018) A man who was shot and killed by MPD officers during a foot chase after officers responded to a 911 call about a man firing a gun.
• Terrance Franklin: (Died May 10, 2013) A man involved in an officer-involved shooting by the MPD in 2013, which was later subject to a grand jury presentation.
• Travis Matthew Jordan: (Died November 9, 2018) A man fatally shot by an MPD officer when he failed to drop a large kitchen knife and ran toward officers while they were responding to a report of a suicidal man.
• Mario Philip Benjamin: (Involved in shooting August 2, 2019) A person involved in an officer-involved shooting incident in August 2019.
• Liu Qiangdong: (Arrested 2018) A billionaire Chinese businessman and internet entrepreneur who was arrested by the MPD in 2018 after a rape accusation. He was later released and returned to China.

Organizations/Groups:

• Minneapolis Police Department (MPD): The primary law enforcement agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Saint Paul Police Department: The police department of Saint Paul, Minnesota, formed earlier than the MPD.
• Police Conduct Oversight Commission: A volunteer group nominated by Minneapolis city council members and the mayor, responsible for oversight of police conduct.
• Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA): A federal agency with whom MPD communicated regarding Black Lives Matter protests.
• Black Lives Matter: A movement whose protests in Minneapolis were subject to MPD communications with the DEA.
• The Police Officers’ Federation of Minneapolis: The police union that holds a contract with the City of Minneapolis.