In heated meeting, Minneapolis City Council votes to review MPD’s response to Davis Moturi case

The Minneapolis City Council will direct the city auditor to conduct an independent investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department’s response to the year-long harassment Davis Moturi experienced at the hands of his neighbor, who allegedly shot him in the back of the head last week.

The vote was approved during an intense council meeting Thursday, which was interrupted twice by protesters calling for the resignation of Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara over the delay in MPD’s response.

John Sawchak, 54, was arrested Monday five days after he allegedly shot Moturi, his next-door neighbor, seriously wounding him. Before the shooting, Moturi had reported Sawchak’s behavior several times, saying that Sawchak had verbally and physically threatened, racially harassed and assaulted him since he and his wife moved to the 3500 block of Grand Avenue South in September 2023.

After Sawchak’s arrest, MPD Chief Brian O’Hara announced that the police department would conduct a “post-incident review” into the shooting and what led up to it, and apologized to Moturi and his wife. for “failing them.” O’Hara had initially suggested that Moturi was partly to blame for the shooting because he was trimming branches from a tree belonging to Sawchak that had crossed onto his property.

“Based on the facts, we will implement changes that will mitigate any identified weaknesses and institutionalize the necessary protocols to ensure an appropriate level of urgency, efficiency and effectiveness,” Chief O’Hara said. “This is the least we can do in the continued effort to become the department the community demands and deserves.”

However, residents and council members are calling for an independent investigation of the department, citing its lack of response throughout the year Moturi spent informing police about the escalating incidents.

On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council discussed the issue and voted to request that the city auditor conduct an independent “After Action Review” of the city’s involvement in and response to all incidents between Moturi and Sawchak. .

The motion was passed unanimously and would require the review to be completed by June 13, 2025, with a report submitted to city council.

“Mr. Moturi’s life mattered and I regret that MPD has not treated him as such for almost a year,” said Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley. “I know my colleagues and I are committed to taking meaningful action to accountability and restoration – hopefully some of that starts with this independent review.”

District Council 12 member Aurin Chowdhury noted during the discussions that the racial component cannot be overlooked in this case. Moturi reported to police several times that he had been racially harassed by Sawchak, and on one occasion in May Sawchak allegedly called him a “black bastard” and told him, “I will kill you if you call the police again.” Despite these threats and two arrest warrants for Sawchak before the shooting, MPD never arrested him for his actions against Moturi before October 23.

“We have to be able to look at situations like this and talk very clearly and honestly about the fact that there was a major systemic failure here in the delivery of services by the Minneapolis Police Department,” Chowdhury said. “What many residents are bringing up is that you can’t disentangle the racialized nature of this. The difference that occurs between Black, Brown and Indigenous residents who seek services and white residents.”

Before the motion was passed, protesters disrupted the meeting twice, calling for Chief O’Hara’s firing. The meeting was sent to recess twice and the live broadcast was cut.

Despite this, the protesters’ screams could still be heard, with one protester saying, “Why are animals and other things more important than a black man and his family being discriminated against like this?” in response to previous business, such as celebrating “National Cat Appreciation Day” before the start of the agenda.

After speaking again, Council President Elliot Payne announced that the public will have time to make comments during the next cycle’s committee of the whole.

A spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s office provided a statement in response to these residents’ protests. While Frey says that while he supports an independent review, O’Hara “will remain the police chief of Minneapolis.”

Sawchak is currently being held in the Hennepin County Jail on $1 million bail on multiple charges, including attempted second-degree murder. His next court appearance will be November 25 at 9 am.

Related: Victim of neighbor’s shooting relives his hellish year and criticizes MPD’s lack of action