The fatal 61 seconds

After Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman declined to press charges in the killing of Jamar Clark, evidence he released showed that it took 61 seconds from when two Minneapolis police officers approached Clark until he was shot Nov. 15, 2015. He died the next day. Here's what happened in that critical time frame.

By ANDY MANNIX, ABBY SIMONS and MARK BOSWELL, Star Tribune • Illustrations by RAFA ALVAREZ

April 6, 2016 at 8:06PM
  • Officers Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg both told investigators Clark refused orders to take his hands out of his pockets.
  • Read the transcript
  • Both officers said Ringgenberg produced his firearm when Clark refused to cooperate.
  • Read the transcript
  • Ringgenberg said he tried to forcibly remove one of Clark's hands from his pockets while Schwarze took the other.
  • Read the transcript
  • Footage from the back of the ambulance carrying RayAnn Hayes shows Ringgenberg taking Clark down.
  • See the video
  • Schwarze told investigators his partner began screaming repeatedly that Clark had his gun. Ringgengberg said he reached back and felt Clark's hand on his weapon.
  • Read the transcript
  • Schwarze told investigators he put his weapon to Clark's head after Ringgenberg told him Clark had a hand on his gun.
  • Read the transcript
  • In separate interviews, both Schwarze and Ringgenberg told investigators they heard Clark say "I'm ready to die" when Schwarze threatened to shoot him. County Attorney Freeman said the evidence showed no other witnesses heard this statement.
  • Read the transcript
  • Schwarze had his gun to Clark's face. Clark at that point still would not let go of the gun, according to the officers.
  • Read the transcript
  • Schwarze told investigators the slide was partially pulled back, so the gun did not fire when it was pointed at Clark's face near his mouth.
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  • Schwarze told investigators he immediately knew he struck Clark once the gun fired.
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  • Several witnesses, including Tequila Dillon, said they saw Clark in handcuffs after he was shot.
  • Read the transcript
  • Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman presented the DNA report and forensic photos of Clark's wrists, saying they prove he was not handcuffed.
  • Read the transcript
  • Ringgenberg told investigators he learned the move as a police officer in San Diego.
  • Read related article
  • Witness Danny Braylock's video taken immediately afterward shows witnesses converging on the scene as the officers call for backup.
  • Watch the video
  • Leading to this point: At 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 15, 2015, paramedics responded to a 911 call from RayAnn Hayes, who said she was injured in an altercation. Medics called for police assistance, and officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze arrived.
(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

1 Officers approach Clark

12:49:15 A.M.

Officers Mark Ringgenberg (light shirt) and Dustin Schwarze (dark jacket) approached Clark.They told investigators his hands were in his jacket pockets.

The officers told Clark to take his hands out of his pockets. Schwarze said Clark had "this thousand-yard stare."

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

2 "What's the pistol for?"

Ringgenberg said he took his gun out

and held it down alongside his leg with the barrel pointing to the ground. Officers said Clark yelled, "What's the pistol for?" and refused to take his hands out of his jacket pockets.

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

3 The initial struggle

Ringgenberg put his gun back in his holster and grabbed Clark's right wrist

while Schwarze grabbed Clark's left hand. Schwarze had his handcuffs out but said that in the struggle, he was never able to get them on Clark and dropped them. Some witnesses dispute that

, saying that after the shooting they saw Clark was handcuffed. Evidence shows

Clark's DNA was not on the handcuffs, nor did his wrists have bruising.

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

4 The takedown

After Clark resisted being handcuffed, Ringgenberg reached his arm around Clark's chest and neck and took him to the ground.

This occurred 34 seconds after their initial contact. Ringgenberg landed on his side on top of Clark, who was on his back. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said the takedown move is "not favored"

by Minneapolis police.

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

5 "He's got my gun"

Ringgenberg said he tried to move away from Clark so Schwarze could handcuff him. He felt his gun go from his right hip to the small of his back and told Schwarze, "He's got my gun."

Ringgenberg said he reached back and felt Clark's "whole" hand on the gun.

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

6 "Let it go or I'm gonna to shoot you"

Schwarze said he took out his gun and put it to the edge of Clark's mouth, saying, "Let it go or I'm gonna shoot you."

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

7 "I'm ready to die"

Ringgenberg recalled hearing Schwarze tell Clark to let go of the gun or Schwarze would shoot. Ringgenberg and Schwarze said they heard Clark say, "I'm ready to die."

Ringgenberg said he believed he was going to die at that point because he had no control over his gun. No other witnesses reported hearing Clark utter the statement.

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

8 "Shoot him"

As Clark and the officers continued to struggle, Schwarze told investigators, "I've never heard Mark ever scream like this before. ... Mark said 'shoot him'

and ... that was in this most sincere panicked voice I've ever heard.

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

9 First shot attempt fails

Schwarze said the "only thing I could think of to do was to save our lives and anyone else in the immediate area so I pulled the trigger."

Schwarze said his Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm did not fire because the slide was partially pulled back."

(Dave Braunger/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

10 The fatal shot; the struggle ends

12:50:16 A.M. Schwarze pulled the trigger again and the gun fired.

Ringgenberg rolled away from Clark and both officers stood up. Schwarze then reported a call of shots fired as onlookers reacted.

A paramedic began treating Clark, but he died at 9:32 p.m. the following day.

Source: Officer interviews with Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigators, Clark autopsy report, ambulance footage.
To read all of the documents and see video and photos, click here.

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ANDY MANNIX, ABBY SIMONS and MARK BOSWELL, Star Tribune • Illustrations by RAFA ALVAREZ

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