Two white Minneapolis police officers will not face disciplinary action in the fatal shooting of Jamar Clark, a black man who police said tried to grab an officer’s gun during a struggle, the police chief said Friday.
Officers Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, who were cleared of all charges in March, used deadly force appropriately and won’t be disciplined, Minneapolis Chief Janee Harteau said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“Jamar Clark was not handcuffed, and the DNA evidence does show that Clark grabbed officer Ringgenberg’s holster and gun,” Harteau said at a news conference. “I have concluded that the use of deadly force in the line of duty was necessary to protect an officer from death or great bodily harm.”
Clark, 24, was fatally shot in November after officers responded to a request for assistance from paramedics, who said an individual was interfering with an assault victim they were attempting to aid.
Clark was not armed, but the investigation found he attempted to grab Riggenberg’s gun during a struggle on the ground, leading to the fatal shooting.
Some witnesses claimed Clark had been handcuffed at the time. The investigation showed he was not.
The shooting sparked waves of protests across the city.
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