By Tim Nelson

MPR.org/90.1 FM

MINNAPOLIS — Angry protesters gathered outside a police station in north Minneapolis, beating on the doors, and shouted down the mayor Sunday in the wake of a police shooting earlier in the day.

Family members identified the man shot by police as Jamar Clark, in his early 20s, and said they believe he may not survive.

Police said he’d come out to an ambulance just before 1 a.m. Sunday as a woman was being treated outside a late-night birthday party. Witnesses said Clark was shot by a Minneapolis officer called to help.

People at the scene said the incident started as a series of assaults at the birthday party, including one involving Clark and his girlfriend.

Neighbor Kiesha Steele said she was on her porch when she saw a man approach an ambulance where paramedics were apparently attending to one of the partygoers. She said police pulled up and approached him.

“When the Minneapolis police got out of the car, they each took an arm, they arrested him, put him on the ground, the EMS commander put his knee on the man’s chest, which is Jamar, and as soon as he put his knee on his chest, all you hear is the gunshot,” she said. “… As soon as he got shot, the police took him, threw him in the ambulance. They released one arm — the right arm still had the handcuff on him.”

The party where the trouble started was for Nekelia Sharp. She said she was in her yard and saw the officer fire.

“He took his gun and he shot this man in cold blood,” she said. “I’m sorry that this happened to the family, but I feel like we need justice. Because it’s not right. This young man was in handcuffs. He did not resist. There was not a struggle and no questions were asked.”

Witnesses differed with the official account in several aspects.

Police said the man shot by an officer was initially reported to be interfering with paramedics at the scene. Police Chief Janee Harteau said the medics called for help.

“When officers arrived there was a confrontation and struggle,” she said.

She said one of the officers fired during the struggle. Two officers have been placed on administrative leave.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is conducting the official investigation into the shooting.

“There were handcuffs at the scene. Preliminarily, the subject was not in handcuffs at the time of this, but that is part of the active investigation,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said.