Minneapolis police shooting outrages relatives

Dominic Felder had been acting strangely for weeks, perhaps because of his struggle to provide financially for his children.

Then, on Wednesday, a 911 call about a violent domestic dispute went out to two Minneapolis police officers. A few minutes later, Felder threatened to kill his neighbor and chucked a 60-pound piece of concrete through their front window, police said.

Officers arrived just before midnight at the house at 39th Street and Bloomington Avenue S., and with guns drawn, chased and caught Felder, who struggled and was taken kicking to the ground, said his girlfriend Tiana Wilson.

A few seconds later, she said, she heard one pop and a pause, followed by three more pops. She knew the father of her 5-year-old daughter was dead. Throughout the incident, Wilson had been screaming at the officers that Felder was having a mental breakdown and pleaded for them not to use violence against the unarmed man, who was 5 feet 2 and 130 pounds.

Interim Police Chief Tim Dolan carefully chose the facts he released at a news conference about the shooting Thursday afternoon, saying one of the officers' guns allegedly became part of the struggle and seven rounds were fired. At one point in the news conference, Felder's aunt shouted out that the Minneapolis Police Department murdered him.

"I felt like I released quite a bit of information," Dolan said later. "Every situation is different. This one will take some work before any conclusions can be drawn."

The relatives of the 27-year-old plan to hold a news conference today.

They plan to rebut -- point by point -- the Police Department's version of events. The Rev. Devin Miller, grandfather of Felder's 8-year-old child, plans to attend.

"Why wasn't a crisis intervention officer sent on the call when the dispatcher was told Dominic was having mental issues? And how does he overpower two officers when he wasn't on medication, drugs or alcohol?" Miller asked Thursday. "With police not answering questions during a whirlwind of a news conference, more suspicion is raised that foul play is at hand."

Dolan wouldn't say whether it was officer Jason King or Lawrence Loonsfoot who shot Felder. Both officers, who have worked for the department since 1993 and have received Medals of Valor, were place on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.

It's not the first time the officers have been involved in shootings. In 2001, King killed Demitreus Sesler, who confronted him with a gun. King was cleared by a grand jury.

Loonsfoot was the partner of officer Charles Storlie when Storlie shot and wounded 15-year-old Lawrence Miles Jr. in 1997.

Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the police federation, said Wednesday's incident went from a domestic report to a deadly-force situation very quickly and the officers didn't have time to wait for an officer specifically trained to deal with suspects with mental health problems.

In Felder's defense

Miller, who is one of the ministers of St. Paul's God Squad, which works with community and police, said Felder had been mentally slipping gradually for weeks. He was acting odd, but not violent, he said.

"I've never had a problem with him," Miller said. "He was always very respectful, took care of his kids and was mild-mannered."

Wilson, the mother of Felder's 5-year-old daughter, Destiny, said he was stressed over finances Wednesday. He started pacing in and out of the house and talking about how people were going to kill him, she said.

"He wouldn't calm down," she said. "We told him we would get him some help on Thursday."

Felder went to his neighbor's house and asked to use their telephone, she said. A squad showed up shortly afterward and Felder went across the street. The officers followed in their squad and tried to arrest him near a bus stop about a block away, Wilson said. Then she heard the shots.

"They could have used Mace or a Taser gun," Wilson said. "He doesn't have a criminal history. He's just a guy working for $10 an hour as a telemarketer in St. Paul."

Ron Edwards, a member of the Police Community Relations Council, was called to the shooting scene by police officials. He said he was concerned that two officers were ordered by homicide Lt. Lee Edwards to back away from several upset relatives because of what Ron Edwards described as the officers' unprofessional behavior.

Unlike the last officer-related shooting in June, Wednesday's incident wasn't caught on the squad car video camera, Dolan said. He did meet with relatives at the shooting scene and before the news conference, shared the news release with them.

The shooting will be investigated separately by the Police Department's homicide unit and internal affairs division. Fred Bruno, who is representing both officers, said they followed department rules.

"They followed their training to a T and responded correctly to a situation which had placed both their lives in danger," he said.

David Chanen • 612-673-4465 • dchanen@startribune.com