Shocking: Minneapolis police chief says no gun planted in Lee shooting

Photo by Andrew Ciscel

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan responded to allegations that made a lot of news last week after the family of a police shooting victim says the gun at the scene was planted by officers to justify the death.

Dolan was on vacation last week and unavailable to comment on the allegations. He said today that police didn't plant any evidence.
The federal lawsuit, filed by shooting victim Fong Lee's family, accuses the police officers of planting a gun at the scene that was in police custody for two years before Lee was shot and killed by a police officer during a chase. The family says Lee had no gun on him and video footage proves it.

The police statement:

We take all allegations of police misconduct very seriously. We want our community to be able to trust that its officers will protect with courage and serve with compassion.

That's why we want to be absolutely clear: no officer ever planted evidence in this case and we look forward to proving that in court.

While no officer wants to take another life, two internal department investigations, as well as an independent grand jury, have ruled that the death of Fong Lee was a case of justifiable homicide.

Unfortunately, because of the ongoing civil litigation, we can't comment specifically on the facts in this case. But we are confident that when this case concludes, the actions of our officers will be vindicated.

At the news conference, Dolan brought the gun allegedly at the scene.

At a news conference afterward, Dolan held up a Russian-made Baikal .380 semiautomatic pistol, saying it was found next to Lee. A police report filed six days after Lee's death said the gun was stolen in a burglary in 2004.