Jamar Clark

November 2025 – Ten years have passed since Jamar Clark was killed by Minneapolis Police on November 15, 2015. His death sparked widespread protest at the treatment of Black residents by the MPD, particularly in the Fourth Precinct. The question still remains, why was Jamar killed?

The Reinvestigation Workgroup began investigating Jamar Clark’s case after 2020. We, alongside Jamar’s family, sought answers. We found few. Instead, we uncovered more questions. Our report, which will be released on the ten-year anniversary, seeks to review Jamar’s case with fresh eyes and in light of many advancements in forensic science. In particular, we intend for our review to shed light on the failure of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice to ask the hard questions of the Minneapolis Police as to what happened to Jamar.

While we are not lawyers, we find there to be serious concerns about the legality of Officer Ringgenberg’s threat of and Officer Schwarze’s completed use of deadly force. That concern naturally extends to whether Jamar’s civil rights were violated and whether the investigating agencies were, at minimum, negligent in addressing those violations.

Details

Date / Time	November 15, 2015	Location	1600 Block Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis
Police Department(s)	Minneapolis Police	Officer(s) Involved	Dustin Schwarze; Mark Ringgenberg

Following Jamar’s death, his mother, Irma Burns, created a non-profit called Project Jamar Saving Me, in honor of her son. Through the non-profit, Jamar’s family provides programming and events to youth in Minneapolis in order to empower them and build them up. In the past, Project Jamar has hosted marches, rallies, community meals, and more.

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