MINNEAPOLIS, MN- The New York Post reports that an Army veteran who accosted two people stealing from his pickup truck was killed after being thrown from the hood of a car driven by the suspects. It will be interesting to see if this hero’s death gets as much attention as those of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, or if Bruce Springsteen writes a song honoring his legacy.
Amos Ferrier was working at Rick’s Coffee Bar in Minneapolis, located close to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when he confronted the two would-be thieves at around 1:30 pm last Friday, KSTP reported.
“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,” said Tom McKenna, co-founder of a veteran-focused nonprofit Every Third Saturday.
When Ferrier confronted the thieves, the suspects ran to their car, Ferrier jumped on the hood in an attempt to stop them from getting away. They drove about a block with him on the hood of the car before he was thrown off and slammed his head into the pavement.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers found Ferrier unconscious and he was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center with what was described as life-threatening injuries.
“They did emergency brain surgery at HCMC and he never woke up,” McKenna said. Ferrier, a father of two sons, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
Minneapolis police arrested two people purporting to be women, Riniyah Allen, 19, and Jalaya Frost, 18, this week in connection with Ferrier’s death, KSTP reported. Both were booked into the Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder. The investigation remains active, however, and police are urging anyone with information to contact them.
Ferrier served as the internship program director for Every Third Saturday. In a statement, the organization credited Ferrier for his service with the organization, highlighting his “humor, infectious laugh, and abundance of knowledge.”
“Amos was the kind of person you always wanted to see and have a chat with.”
Ferrier spent 15 years in the Army and was deployed multiple times for combat in Afghanistan, where he was credited with saving multiple lives, the organization said.
Following his military service, Ferrier helped fellow veterans adjust to civilian life.
“He was our do-it-all. He was kind of a Swiss Army knife,” McKenna said. “He ran an internship program, but he also had a huge role helping veterans with challenges like paperwork or filing claims, accessing benefits and resources. And he was part of a suicide prevention initiative we were launching.”
A memorial has been set up by Every Third Saturday on the spot where Ferrier fell outside Rick’s Coffee Bar.
The organization’s Facebook page was flooded by those impacted by Ferrier’s work, praising his dedication to the veteran community and expressing their grief over his loss.
Despite the enormity of their loss, McKenna said both Ferrier’s family and the nonprofit are rallying behind a message they believe he would have supported.
“Along with the family that we forgive the people who did this, we do want them to be held accountable, and we do want them to be caught and prosecuted for what they did, but we forgive them,” he said.
“The loss suffered by the family and loved ones of Amos Ferrier in this horrific incident cannot be undone,” said Minneapolis Police 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.”
Ferrier will be buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery once arrangements are finalized.
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