2 Minneapolis officers in court for 2012 fatal shooting of Delshawn Crawford

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Two police officers are being taken to court for the shooting death of a Minneapolis man back in 2012. The family of Delshawn Crawford says he was unarmed when he was killed by police.

In this case, Crawford was killed by two Minneapolis officers while they were responding to a domestic disturbance at his south Minneapolis apartment on May 12, 2012. His girlfriend told him repeatedly to put down a knife. A neighbor heard the commotion, and called 9-1-1.

"They were arguing, he had a knife," Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said.

Police said they had to force their way into the apartment because the couple wouldn't open the door, and they shot Crawford when he came at them with a knife. 

But the family and their attorneys argued in court Monday that the officers opened fire on Crawford in a moment of panic -- never yelling at him to drop the knife.  And not only that, they say he no longer had that knife. Crawford’s family says he had calmed down and put the knife down before police arrived.

Police back then, and still today, say officer Meyer yelled at Crawford to drop the knife -- that Crawford lunged at them, and opened the door on them. But in 2012, Harteau said "they were unable to gain entry as no one would let them in so they forced entry."

With the police now saying Crawford opened the door, his family's attorney said the police changed their story.

Officer Turner took the stand Monday, and officer Meyer is set to testify on Tuesday. The attorneys for Crawford's estate decided not to comment to Fox 9 after Monday's proceedings.