Auditor to review Minneapolis PD investigations into Lussier death, Moturi shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Two Minneapolis police investigations called into scrutiny will now face reviews from the city auditor's office, a Minneapolis council member says.
Auditor to review Minneapolis PD response
What we know:
Council Member Emily Koski said Monday night that the council has learned that the Minneapolis City Auditor's Office and an independent evaluator will look into how Minneapolis police handled the death of Allison Lussier and the neighbor dispute that ended with the shooting of Davis Moturi last year.
"We have a responsibility to fully understand what happened, ensure every resident’s call for safety and justice is met with action and accountability, and make the changes necessary to prevent harm and save lives," Koski wrote in an online post. "Right now, residents don’t trust our public safety system—and that trust must be rebuilt. This investigation is a necessary step in that process."
Davis Moturi shooting
The backstory:
Minneapolis police were accused of not acting soon enough after Moturi was threatened by his neighbor, John Sawchak.
Moturi told FOX 9 he had filed multiple complaints about Sawchak over the course of months, but nothing was done until Sawchak shot him last October.
Sawchak was ultimately charged with attempted murder and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara admitted after the shooting that the police department had "failed the victim."
Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette promised a review of the events leading up to the shooting. The council also approved a motion to request a separate review by the city auditor shortly after the shooting.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Moturi.
Death of Allison Lussier
What we know:
Last month, the family of Allison Lussier accused the Minneapolis Police Department of not doing enough to investigate Lussier's death.
Lussier was found dead in her North Loop apartment in February 2024. Her family says Lussier was the victim of domestic violence, and they believe her partner was responsible for her death.
O'Hara defended Minneapolis police's investigation into the death last month, pointing out a medical examiner's report was unable to determine Lussier's cause of death. Lussier's body wasn't discovered until some time after she died. While the medical examiner found Lussier had suffered a subdural hematoma, O'Hara said they also found "significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine" in her system. The medical examiner ultimately ruled the cause of death as "undetermined."
"When a case is classified by the medical examiner as undetermined, it becomes significantly more difficult to prove that a homicide occurred," O'Hara said. "Despite this, the MPD has thoroughly investigated this case. The MPD has presented this case to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office for consideration of charges. And we have been in continuous communication with the prosecutors assigned from their office. We remain committed to pursuing justice for Allison, and we will fully participate in any additional requests from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office."
O'Hara said the department had reached out to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension about the agency conducting a review of the case – something advocates for the Lussier family have opposed.
Last month, the council unanimously approved another request to the city auditor, asking the office to review MPD's response in Lussier's case.