Community Demands the Officer Who Killed Amir Locke be Removed From Use-of-Force Training

The family of Amir Locke and community activists are expressing outrage after it was confirmed that Sgt. Mark Hanneman, the Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Amir Locke during a no-knock raid in 2022, is now leading the department’s use-of-force training.

"It’s like they’re trying to erase what happened to my son—to promote the man who took Amir’s life and put him in a position of leadership is beyond disrespectful," said Andre Locke Sr., Amir's father. "It’s retraumatizing. Amir was a beautiful soul."

"Amir was sleeping on a couch underneath a blanket when Minneapolis SWAT came in and within nine seconds, executed my baby. No deescalation. They're trained on that, right?" said Amir's mother, Karen Wells.

Amir was 22 when he was killed in February 2, 2022 during a pre-dawn raid on a downtown apartment. He was not named in the warrant. Body camera footage showed that Hanneman shot Locke within seconds of entering, as Locke stirred from sleep on a couch.

Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong says Hanneman's promotion is a betrayal of public trust, a failure of leadership, and a painful reminder of unkept promises. She sent an open letter to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, criticizing him for siding with police unions and failure to keep his word.

"This is not just poor judgment. It is willful disregard for the life of Amir Locke, for his grieving family, and for every Black Minneapolis resident who continues to live in fear of police violence," she said.

Nekima issued Frey the following immediate demands:

1. Remove Hanneman from any training or leadership role.

2. Launch an independent misconduct investigation into Amir Locke’s killing.

3. Publicly explain Hanneman’s promotion.

4. Issue a public apology to the Locke family and community.

5. Implement external, professional training reforms.

6. End internal cover-ups and toxic police culture.

Nekima says if Mayor Frey fails to right the situation, the public should hold him accountable at the ballot box.

Amir's death, along with others including George Floyd, ignited renewed demands for police reform and accountability in Minneapolis. Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, sharply criticized Hanneman's promotion.

"Job one for any police chief is to create and manage the culture of the department. The appointment of Mark Hanneman to lead training on use of force makes it clear that he has no intention of changing the culture that led to the murders of George Floyd, Amir Locke and others."

Despite public outcry, Police Chief Brian O’Hara is defending Hanneman’s role, calling him an “outstanding” trainer and a key figure in pushing reforms within the Minneapolis Police Department.

“I know this is difficult and I know a lot of people aren’t going to be happy with it,” O’Hara said. “But I think at this point, having him there, based on all of the information that I have been provided, is the best decision that I can make to continue to advance the reform effort.”

"Amir didn’t deserve to die, and we don’t deserve this kind of cruelty," said Andre. "We want truth, transparency, and real accountability—not cover-ups and closed-door promotions."

Hanneman was not criminally charged in Locke’s death. Two months after prosecutors announced no charges would be filed, he began teaching courses on active bystandership, a training intended to help officers intervene in misconduct. He later began teaching Integrating Communications Assessment and Tactics (ICAT), which emphasizes de-escalation and critical thinking during potentially violent encounters.

Seven months after the shooting, under then-interim Chief Amelia Huffman, Hanneman was promoted to lead MPD’s training program. O’Hara, who became chief in November 2022, said he was initially hesitant about Hanneman’s placement but ultimately chose to retain him after reviewing his performance and speaking with department leadership.

Karen recalled how she Andre Locke Sr., were initially made aware of this development while still deep in mourning, but the recent resurfacing of the news has reopened emotional wounds. Karen is especially disturbed that Chief O'Hara is boldly supporting Hanneman in such a leadership role, questioning how someone who failed to deescalate a situation—and who shot her son within nine seconds of entry—could be considered fit to train other officers.

"I never spoken to that man. I've never spoken to Chief O'Hara. But eventually, he's going to meet Amir Locke's mother. 
The day's gonna come where I'm going to have a conversation with him, and he could tell me to my face why he thinks that officer that executed my baby boy is fit for the job."

O’Hara said Hanneman has played a central role in developing new use-of-force policies and training materials. "The number one commitment that we have is to ensure we’re doing everything we can to make reform real," he said.

But to many in the community, Hanneman’s leadership position undermines that commitment. "With the ending of the Federal Consent Decree, Frey and O’Hara make empty promises that they will hold themselves accountable," Twin Cities Coalition for Justice said in a statement. "They continue to insult the memories and families of the lives stolen by MPD."

According to a CUAPB database, three of the 15 MPD trainers have killed people. The rest, except for one, have lawsuits and/or complaints.

Amir's parents are suing Hanneman and the city over their son’s death. The federal lawsuit alleges that their son’s constitutional rights were violated, that MPD failed to adequately train officers and that the department has a history of using excessive force and no-knock warrants against people of color. 

WATCH: On the one year anniversary of Amir's death, his mother mother Karen Wells and father Andre Locke known as "Lil Buddy McClain" and their attorney Ben Crump sat down with Georgia Fort to remember Amir.