US authorities have come under fire for the manner in which they handled an incident involving a man of Kenyan descent who was shot by his neighbour in Minneapolis, US.
Davis Moturi is nursing life-changing injuries after suffering gunshot wounds inflicted on him by another man on Wednesday, October 23, with the incident being captured on camera.
In the CCTV footage, Moturi is seen pruning trees outside his home when he suddenly falls to the ground. It has since emerged that the victim suffered a fractured spine, a concussion, and two broken ribs.
The alleged shooter has been identified as John Sawchak and despite his actions being captured on camera, it took nearly a week for authorities to arrest him – a development that has raised questions about the dynamics surrounding the ethnicity of the individuals involved in the incident.
Five days after the shooting, a SWAT team surrounded Sawchak’s home and what ensued was a five-hour standoff before the suspect was arrested.
According to court filings at the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Sawchak was charged with attempted murder, felony assault, and stalking and harassment for his part in Moturi’s shooting.
The suspect’s first court appearance was on Tuesday, October 29, when the judge set his bail at Ksh 129,000,000 (USD 1 million). He was given the option to post Ksh77,400,000 ($600,000) bail, but he would only be freed under supervision.
In the months leading up to the harrowing incident, Moturi and his wife had filed at least 19 reports against Sawchak whom they accused of harassment. The suspect also consistently made threats to Moturi, long before the shooting.
“He kept saying, ‘Hey, if you touch that tree, something is going to happen to you. It’s clear that me calling anybody and everybody did not do much,” Moturi lamented.
Amid criticism over the delayed arrest of the suspect, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara admitted on Sunday that police had ‘failed the victim’.
“The Minneapolis police somehow did not act urgently enough to prevent that individual from being shot.” he said.
Read the Original article on https://www.kenyans.co.ke
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