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Two Minnesota cops identified in death of unarmed black man

Black Lives Matter protesters surrounded a key police station Wednesday in Minnesota near where Jamar Clark was shot.

Officials have named two Minneapolis police officers involved in the shooting death of unarmed African-American Jamar Clark as protesters surrounded a key police station in the US city.

Minneapolis Police Department officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze were involved in the shooting of 24-year-old Clark shortly after midnight on Sunday, according to the city’s Department of Public Safety.

Clark was taken off life support on Monday evening at a local hospital. Both of the officers have been put on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The victim was reportedly unarmed and handcuffed when he was shot in the head.

The head of the Minneapolis police union, Bob Kroll, however, insisted that Clark was not handcuffed.

Jamar Clark

Calling for any video of the shooting to be released, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis said several witnesses have a different account of the incident.

His death, which is the latest in a series of unarmed black men killed at the hands of police in the United States, sparked demonstrations in the city's small but concentrated minority community.

Protesters gathered in front of the north Minneapolis precinct on Wednesday near where the shooting occurred. Almost 20 police officers dressed in riot gear or fatigues pushed them back from the entry.

At least 250 demonstrators joined arms to surround the station. They chanted slogans like "No justice, no peace. Prosecute the police," "Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail" and "Handcuffs, don't shoot."

Referring to the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown last year in Ferguson, Missouri, a former city council member said, "We don't want another Ferguson. They are unleashing something they don't understand. Oh Lord."

Hundreds of African-American activists gathered and blocked the Interstate 94 in Minneapolis late on Monday in protest against Clark's death. More than 50 people were arrested.

Brown’s death on August 9, 2014 gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement in the country.

 


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