A veteran and community leader named Amos Ferrier during an attempted car theft in south Minneapolis. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has said that two women were arrested Tuesday, May 19, in St. Paul in connection with the incident, according to FOX 9. They have been booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
Following the incident, Riniyah Allen, 19, and Jalaya Frost, 18 — who was listed in the Hennepin County Jail roster as Janaya Frost — were arrested on the 1000 block of Kingsford Street in St. Paul, per 5 Eyewitness News.
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Ferrier’s death is currently an open and active investigation.
Who was Amos Ferrier? Five things to know
Here are five things to know about Amos Ferrier:
- The incident took place when Ferrier was at Every Third Saturday, the nonprofit that runs Rick’s Coffee Bar, for a graduation ceremony on Friday. He confronted two people trying to steal his pickup truck, and as the suspects attempted to drive away, he is believed to have ended up on the hood of their car, per FOX 9. He was carried about a block before being thrown from the vehicle, following which he hit his head on the pavement.
- Tom McKenna, co-founder of Every Third Saturday, said Ferrier was rushed to the hospital unconscious. He died two days later at HCMC. “They did emergency brain surgery at HCMC, and he never woke up,” McKenna said.
- Ferrier was an Army combat medic. He served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and was credited with saving several lives.
- Back home, Ferrier continued his service as the internship director for the coffee shop. He helped other veterans develop job skills after leaving the military. The coffee shop is now closed after his death.
- McKenna described Ferrier as “full of life.” “He loved seeing people grow and seeing people get better and become better versions of themselves. And he brought that out in people,” said McKenna.
What Tom McKenna said about the incident
McKenna said that the tragedy unfolded after Ferrier noticed something happening outside.
“He was in the coffee shop and observed at least one individual, maybe two or three, but they had gone into his truck and took his bag, and he ran out to stop them,” he said, according to 5 Eyewitness News.
“We do not know if they got back in their car, we do not know if he stood in front of the car and jumped on the hood or if they started to run him over and he ended up on the hood,” he added. “But anyway, they carried him almost a full city block on the hood, and at some point, the driver of the vehicle swerved violently and threw him off, and he hit his head on the pavement and ended up costing his life.”
A makeshift memorial has now been created in front of Rick’s Coffee Bar on what would have been Ferrier’s 39th birthday.
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“In every sense of the word, he was just a special soul,” McKenna said of Ferrier. “He was infectious with his humor. He had this huge laugh, he was a big guy, and his laugh would reverberate throughout the whole building.”
McKenna added that Ferrier’s family decided to discontinue life support on Sunday.
“To think about what he went through there in the last minute of his life, it had to be scary,” he said. “But he was brave, he had combat medals from , he was a courageous soul.”
police said that this incident is believed to be the first death related to a car theft in the city this year.
“The loss suffered by the family and loved ones of Amos Ferrier in this horrific incident cannot be undone,” said Minneapolis Chief Brian O’Hara. “But the apprehension of those believed to be responsible brings hope that justice will be achieved. I am grateful for the coordinated efforts of investigators and community members that led to these arrests.”
Every Third Saturday paid tribute to Ferrier in an emotional Facebook post. “It is with profound sadness that we have lost our Internship Director, Amos Ferrier. Amos was severely injured during a robbery and lost his life. We don’t have co-workers at ETS, we have family members. Amos was our brother. He was decorated for bravery due to actions he took while serving as an army medic in Afghanistan and was credited with saving multiple lives,” reads the post.
“During his time at ETS, he impacted all of our lives with his humor, infectious laugh, and abundance of knowledge. Amos was the kind of person you always wanted to see and have a chat with. He will leave a hole in both his biological family and his ETS family that can never be filled. May God take him by the hand and guide him through the gates of heaven. Information regarding arrangements will be released as appropriate. His family asks for privacy at this time,” it adds.
