Mayor Frey: MPD body camera footage to be released under 2 conditions

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released a statement Tuesday night outlining how the city plans to handle the release of body camera footage from the night Thurman Blevins was shot and killed by police.

According to the statement, Mayor Frey decided the footage would be released as soon as two things were completed: the family of Thurman Blevins must be consulted and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension must complete their interviews with key witnesses.

“The desire for a transparent process must always be balanced with the need for a complete and fair investigation," the mayor wrote.

Frey said that the interviews with known key witnesses have already begun.

Additionally, he wrote that "releasing the body camera footage prior to these witness interviews would be harmful to what we as a city collectively want: That the investigation retain its integrity and that we have a thorough and transparent account of the facts." 

FULL STATEMENT FROM MAYOR FREY: 

“Transparency and accountability are of the highest priority for Chief Arradondo and me. Real transparency does not allow for unnecessary delay before information is released. It means full and thoughtful disclosure of information, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and justice.
“State law gives authority to law enforcement entities, within certain parameters, to determine when evidence – including body camera footage – is released.
“The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), under the leadership of Chief Arradondo, is the law enforcement entity within the city, and the MPD reports to me. 
“The desire for a transparent process must always be balanced with the need for a complete and fair investigation. 
“To that end, I have decided to release the body camera footage. 
“Two things, however, must happen first. The family of Thurman Blevins must be consulted. And the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) needs to have finished interviewing key witnesses. 
“To ensure the integrity of the investigation, which we have asked the BCA to conduct, it is essential that known key witnesses first be interviewed. That process has already begun, and I trust that it will be done in the near future.  
“These interviews must be conducted without interference. Releasing the body camera footage prior to these witness interviews would be harmful to what we as a city collectively want: That the investigation retain its integrity and that we have a thorough and transparent account of the facts. 
“As more information becomes available, please know that I will relay it as quickly as possible.”