Dominic Felder had been acting strangely for weeks, perhaps because of his struggle to provide financially for his children.
Then, on Wednesday, a 911 call about a violent domestic dispute went out to two Minneapolis police officers. A few minutes later, Felder threatened to kill his neighbor and chucked a 60-pound piece of concrete through their front window, police said.
Officers arrived just before midnight at the house at 39th Street and Bloomington Avenue S., and with guns drawn, chased and caught Felder, who struggled and was taken kicking to the ground, said his girlfriend Tiana Wilson.
A few seconds later, she said, she heard one pop and a pause, followed by three more pops. She knew the father of her 5-year-old daughter was dead. Throughout the incident, Wilson had been screaming at the officers that Felder was having a mental breakdown and pleaded for them not to use violence against the unarmed man, who was 5 feet 2 and 130 pounds.
Interim Police Chief Tim Dolan carefully chose the facts he released at a news conference about the shooting Thursday afternoon, saying one of the officers’ guns allegedly became part of the struggle and seven rounds were fired. At one point in the news conference, Felder’s aunt shouted out that the Minneapolis Police Department murdered him.
“I felt like I released quite a bit of information,” Dolan said later. “Every situation is different. This one will take some work before any conclusions can be drawn.”
The relatives of the 27-year-old plan to hold a news conference today.
They plan to rebut — point by point — the Police Department’s version of events. The Rev. Devin Miller, grandfather of Felder’s 8-year-old child, plans to attend.
“Why wasn’t a crisis intervention officer sent on the call when the dispatcher was told Dominic was having mental issues? And how does he overpower two officers when he wasn’t on medication, drugs or alcohol?” Miller asked Thursday. “With police not answering questions during a whirlwind of a news conference, more suspicion is raised that foul play is at hand.”
Dolan wouldn’t say whether it was officer Jason King or Lawrence Loonsfoot who shot Felder. Both officers, who have worked for the department since 1993 and have received Medals of Valor, were place on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
It’s not the first time the officers have been involved in shootings. In 2001, King killed Demitreus Sesler, who confronted him with a gun. King was cleared by a grand jury.
Loonsfoot was the partner of officer Charles Storlie when Storlie shot and wounded 15-year-old Lawrence Miles Jr. in 1997.
Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the police federation, said Wednesday’s incident went from a domestic report to a deadly-force situation very quickly and the officers didn’t have time to wait for an officer specifically trained to deal with suspects with mental health problems.
Did anyone else catch this on KQ this morning. There was a woman that was calling the MPLS Police officer the KKK. I could not belive what I was hearing on the radio, she went on to say that this person what not violent, but the call the 911 was a domistic call, and the guy lugged a 60lb block through a neighbors window, and what also shouting threats to kill people. When a the police arived, he went for one of their guns. I am very sorry for the family of this person, losing a family member is never easy, and the officer that fired the shot is going though some tramma as well. Our officers are there to serve and protect. Calling them the KKK and making excuses does not cut the mustard for me. I was just sick after hearing all this on my drive into work 
This is a free country and if you don’t like it here, you have to right to leave or move somewhere else.
I guess with a father and many friends in law enforcement I just wanted to defend them for all the good things that they do. And trust me a shooting with a death involved will change that officers life forever too. One of my fathers friends(suburban officer) had a 16 year old kid come out of a SA after robbing it and pointed his gun right at him. He had to fire and stop him, and in the end the kid died in the hospital. My fathers friend spent countless years in therapy and blamed himself. I guess what I am trying to get at is there are many lifes turned upside down in these situations. This is just a overall bad deal, and I feel for the family. I just think Fisher Dave should go on a ride-along and see all the good they do and not remember just the bad things. I in no way agree what happened to him was right, but everyone makes mistakes. I am done with this thread and going to leave it alone now.
If the victim had not been committing a crime,(rock thru window among other things) the police would not have even been around. And then you want to fight/resist arrest with a loaded 45 (or what ever they use)when they arrive? The cops don’t know what your jacked up on, after all, THEY WERE CALLED TO A SITUATION YOU CREATED. And, of course, after all is said and done, SOME ONE HAS TO BE TO BLAME, It can’t be the criminals fault, I mean the police were there earlier in the evening responding to the first call at that address,(Domestic) Then they’re called back again a few hours later when he throws a boulder thru a neighbors window(showing violence)and is threatening to kill people, Then he decides to take on a couple of cops with loaded guns, So no-it can’t be his fault….wait…I know…the race card!!! yea!!! the ace in the hole.. It works every time. WE CAN BLAME THIS ON RACE…
