Chants of “Black Lives Matter” could be heard again Sunday as protesters rallied in the streets of Minneapolis and are camped out in front of police headquarters after police shot Jamar Clark, a black man. Shortly after midnight on Sunday morning, there was a potentially fatal encounter between Clark and police. According to MPR News:
Police said he'd come out to an ambulance just before 1 a.m. Sunday as a woman was being treated outside a late-night birthday party. Witnesses said Clark was shot by a Minneapolis officer called to help.
People at the scene said the incident started as a series of assaults at the birthday party, including one involving Clark and his girlfriend.
Neighbor Kiesha Steele said she was on her porch when she saw a man approach an ambulance where paramedics were apparently attending to one of the partygoers. She said police pulled up and approached him.
After a brief struggle with Clark, reports differ as to what exactly happened. Police maintain that Clark was not in handcuffs and was still struggling when an officer shot him. However, several witnesses claim Clark was handcuffed and was shot in the head by a policeman after being subdued. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where family members say he is currently on life support.
Protests erupted throughout the day Sunday, with the local NAACP demanding a federal investigation and several people demanding answers. What happened to Clark? Was he handcuffed? Would police use of force have been appropriate even if he weren’t? Over the next several hours, more answers will solidify, but unlike many police violence black-box encounters, there were witnesses to this scene.