Activists who want two police officers prosecuted in the shooting death of Jamar Clark will gather in north Minneapolis on Saturday to map plans for a rally and other actions, organizers said.
At a news conference Thursday, activists from the Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamar called it "a step in the right direction" that Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman decided not to take the case to a grand jury. Freeman said his office will decide whether to prosecute the officers.
One of the activists, Brettina Davis, said Thursday that "justice means prosecution" and the community had to continue to press for charges against the officers.
"We want the police who killed Jamar Clark to go to jail," said Mel Reeves, a member of the coalition. The coalition played a role in the campaign against taking the case to a grand jury, organizing protests at Freeman's office on five consecutive Fridays.
"He didn't deserve to be killed by the people who enforce the law," said James Clark, Jamar Clark's father. "I wouldn't treat a dog like that."
Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old black man, was shot by police Nov. 15, and died Nov. 16. The two officers involved, Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, were initially placed on administrative leave, but returned to desk duty in January.
Witnesses have said Clark was unarmed and handcuffed at the time of the shooting, while the police union has said Clark was shot after he reached for an officer's gun.
The community meeting will take place Saturday at noon at Urban Jerusalem Church, 1823 Emerson Av. N.
