Three days after a Minneapolis officer fired the shot that eventually proved to be fatal for black resident Jamar Clark, the most basic of questions remains: was Clark handcuffed when he was shot or not? Witnesses claimed from the outset Sunday that Clark was handcuffed while he was shot. However, preliminary police accounts say that Clark was not handcuffed. The discovery of a pair of handcuffs on the scene, revealed by state investigators, adds credence to witness accounts. According to the AP:
Police initially said Jamar ONeal Clark was not handcuffed when he was shot, but authorities later said handcuffs were at the scene and that they are trying to determine whether Clark was restrained.
"We're still examining whether or not they were on Mr. Clark or whether or not they were just (fallen) at the scene. That's what we're trying to ascertain," state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said at a news conference Tuesday.
According to police accounts, Clark was suspected of assaulting a woman, believed to be Clark’s girlfriend, and attempting to interfere with medical responders early Sunday morning when an officer apprehended him. The brief struggle ended with a single gunshot to Clark’s head. After being rushed to the hospital, he was taken off life support Monday and was confirmed dead on Tuesday.
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Clark’s shooting and later confirmed death sparked protests across Minneapolis, including a march that blocked I-94. 42 protesters were arrested for that march and subsequently released. Black Lives Matter protesters in Minneapolis have adopted a “handcuffs, don’t shoot” rallying cry, and the local NAACP, Congressman Keith Ellison, and Mayor Betsy Hodges have all joined the call for a deeper investigation.
So why the hell can’t Minneapolis police and the Minnesota Bureau of Crime Apprehension figure out the most basic thing, if Clark was handcuffed or not? According to local Fox affiliate Fox 9, the BCA confirms that they have some videos related to the incident, but will not release them despite calls from the NAACP because of the ongoing investigation. Police on the scene did not have body cameras or dash cameras. There are handcuffs on the scene and numerous eyewitness accounts.
Perhaps protesters and the public will get more information now that, as the LA Times reports, Clark’s shooting has been ruled a homicide and the FBI will begin an investigation into his death. While it is highly questionable if police use of force could have been justified even if Clark were not handcuffed, handcuffs would make it unambiguous.