Minneapolis city officials plan independent review of police handling of shooting case
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Minneapolis city officials said Thursday there will be an independent review of the Minneapolis Police Department’s handling of a south Minneapolis shooting.
The announcement came after City Council voted to request a review of the shooting of Davis Moturi on Oct. 23. Moturi was doing yard work outside his house when his neighbor, John Sawchak, allegedly shot him. Moturi was hospitalized with a serious neck injury.
Sawchak was arrested at his home early in the morning on Oct. 28 after a team attempted to negotiate with him for several hours. He is charged with attempted murder, stalking and harassment stemming from racial bias. Sawchak is white, and Moturi is Black.
Moturi had reported Sawchak to the police several times before for threats. Critics and officials are asking why police did not step in before the shooting – and why it took police nearly five days to arrest Sawchak.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
A group of protesters interrupted the council meeting to demand a response from the council.
Michelle Gross is the founder of Communities United Against Police Brutality.
“It didn’t need to happen because the Minneapolis police should have done their job,” Gross said. “They took five days to arrest this man. And I don't know how you justify that.”
The council called a recess when interrupted, but several stayed to listen to protesters who spoke. Council members told protesters they would add a public comment session to an upcoming meeting so they could come back and speak to the council.
The city council voted to ask the city auditor to conduct a review of the case.
“It is heartbreaking to see in this case that MPD failed to protect another Black resident,” Council member Robin Wonsley said. “I know there are so many questions about how this was allowed to happen.”
Police Chief Brian O’Hara said police needed time to gather information before arresting Sawchak. Police believed him to be dangerous, O’Hara said, and consulted with Sawchak’s family and a psychiatrist to gather information before attempting an arrest.
Activists said they believe police would have responded differently to complaints from a white resident. Cindy Sundberg, whose son Tekle Sundberg was killed by police in 2022, called on the council to take action.
“Tell me why this white suspect was allowed five days,” Sundberg said. “He was white, so you waited. My son was Black, so you executed him.”
Protesters outlined additional demands. They are asking for O’Hara to be fired, and for the city to provide financial assistance to the Moturi family.
Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette said Thursday that he will not fire O’Hara.
“Chief O'Hara has done a lot for the department and reform, and I think he’s the person to move the department forward,” Barnette said. “The totality of his work in Minneapolis must be taken into consideration, and we should not judge him solely based on this one incident. I have reached out to Chief O'Hara and I've told him that I support him, and so does the city leadership.”
Barnette said he and O’Hara are in full support of an independent review.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey fully supports a review. A spokesman for his office sent out a statement saying, “The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow.
“The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community,” the statement said.