Friday August 6, 2021
By Chao Xiong
Three officers involved in the December shooting will not be criminally charged.
A crowd of protesters gathered at the south Minneapolis gas station where Dolal Idd was shot to rally last January against police brutality. ] RICHARD TSONG-TAATARII • [email protected]
Three Minneapolis police officers were legally justified when they fatally shot Dolal Idd last year during a sting operation, the Dakota County Attorney's Office announced Friday.
The decision by Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena means officers Paul Huyhn, Darcy Klund and Jason Schmitt will not be criminally charged with killing Idd on Dec. 30 in the parking lot of a Holiday gas station at 36th Street and Cedar Avenue.
Idd's killing was the first by Minneapolis police after George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. Floyd's killing set off days of protests, arson and looting across the metro and demonstrations across the world.
"Although I have concluded the use of deadly force was justified in this instance, any loss of life is a tragic occurrence and I wish to extend my personal condolences to the family of Dolal Idd for their great loss," Keena said in a written statement.
Minneapolis police released body camera footage a day after Idd's death, which appeared to show Idd firing a gun at police first. Police Chief Medaria Arradondo defended his officers at the time, saying they reacted to a "deadly threat."
About 1,000 protesters took the streets and called for justice for Idd, 23, of Eden Prairie. Idd's family criticized police's handling of the situation and for using guns and restraining family members while searching the family home about 2:20 a.m. Dec. 31 after the shooting. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office assisted the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in a "knock and announce" high-risk search warrant at the home.
At a January protest, Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said that he didn't believe the police narrative. He called for an independent investigation and said the Minneapolis police bodycam footage was "inconclusive."
A search warrant affidavit filed in the case earlier this year said officers were investigating "a person selling firearms illegally and prohibited from possessing firearms" and used a confidential informant to set up the purchase of a MAC-10 semi-automatic pistol from Idd.
Dolal was 3 when his family emigrated from Somalia. He graduated from Minnetonka High School in 2015 and briefly enrolled at Normandale Community College in Bloomington. He was interested in studying computers or pursuing work as an emergency medical technician, his sister has said.
Klund is a 33-year veteran of the department, Huynh, a 23-year veteran and Schmitt, a six-year veteran.
Staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.