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Crime, Law and Justice
MPR News Staff
Updated:

Family of innocent bystander killed during Minneapolis police pursuit files lawsuit

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The family of a bystander killed during a high-speed police chase filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the city of Minneapolis. In July of 2021, Minneapolis Police Department officer Brian Cummings was pursuing another vehicle at high speeds when he crashed into a car driven by Leneal Frazier in a north Minneapolis intersection.  

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, before the fatal crash Cummings had been involved in a dozen high-speed pursuits in a seven-month period. And the complaint says only four resulted in an arrest of the subject of the pursuit.

“MPD did not meaningfully and/or formally discipline Cummings for his dangerous conduct related to any of the high-speed pursuits he involved himself in,” reads the lawsuit complaint.

The former officer later pleaded guilty to a charge of vehicular homicide and was sentenced to nine months in the Hennepin County workhouse. 

The Frazier family is represented by the same firm which handled the wrongful death cases of others killed by law enforcement officers including George Floyd, Daunte Wright and Amir Locke.

The city has yet to respond to a request for comment.