'We keep us safe': Minneapolis police award recipient calls out cops in viral video
A Minnesota resident’s award acceptance speech has gone viral after he called out the police department that recognized him. Alex Mingus was honored by the St. Paul Police Department for performing “an act of gallantry and valor” in response to a shooting. But while he accepted the Chief's Medal of Valor award, Mingus called out the lack of police action on the scene. His award acceptance has since become an act of viral political protest for calling out the same department that awarded him for its failure to protect Black lives.
The ceremony began with St. Paul Interim Police Chief Jeremy Ellison welcoming Mingus and applauding him for his action during the shooting last year on Oct. 8. According to Ellison, Mingus responded to the incident after hearing gunshots while driving to work with his wife. He then followed a van that “left at a high rate of speed” from what looked like the direction of the shooting. When the van pulled over, a man who was “bleeding profusely” asked for help.