Andre Locke Sr. Speaks to Congress

Photo by Andrew Von Bank, as Andre testified before the Minnesota Public Safety Commitee.

After his son, Amir, age 22, was the victim of a no-knock shooting by a Minneapolis police officer on February 2, 2022, his father, Andre Locke Sr., has testified at the city, state, and national levels for the banning of this type of police action.  

Amir's name was not on the arrest warrant when a police officer killed him as Amir was awakened  in his bed in a cousin's downtown Minneapolis apartment.  Because he had a visible pistol that he used as part of his job, the police officer assumed that Amir was the person being sought. Amir, still groggy from sleeping, had no chance to defend himself from this unlawful police entry.

But his father, a long-time alumnus of the Explosonic Rockers Street Jazz Theatrical Troupe (now the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe) now is trying to prevent more illegal, deadly police shootings of innocent victims on all geographic levels - city, state, and national.

His first goal - the City of Minneapolis.  Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey subsequently banned police officers from executing no-knock warrants.

His second goal - The State of Minnesota.  A bill that would ban the use of no-knock warrants has passed both the Minnesota House's Public Safety and Judiciary Committees and has advanced to the Minnesota State Senate.

His third goal - the U.S. House and Senate, followed by a signing of such a bill by the President.

On April 12, 2023, the opening day of the National Action Network Convention 2023 in New York City, founded by Reverend Al Sharpton, Andre was on a panel moderated by Attorney Ben Crump. The panel's title was  'From Grief to Action:  The Fight for Social Justice Continues.'  Vice-President Kamala Harris later delivered a keynote address.

Andre, who also uses his musician-rap stage name 'Buddy McLain,' has become relentless in his personal pursuit of social justice on all levels, mainly because of his love for Amir.  

He told the hushed Minnesota House Public Safety, Finance, and Policy Committee that his son was 'a beautiful 22-year-old man with his whole life to be lived, and we will never know how his contributions could have made the world a better place.'

The Committee members quietly listened, then approved the ban, along party lines.

Andre ('Buddy McLain') plans to continue his personal fight for social justice.  

Selfie of Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, with Andre Locke Sr.