Man accused of shooting a neighbor doing yard work after a months-long property dispute

MINNEAPOLIS (CNN) – Minneapolis’ police chief admits his department “failed” to protect one of the city’s residents who has long feared for his safety.

That man, Davis Moturi, was hospitalized with a gunshot wound, allegedly shot by his neighbor after months of escalating encounters and calls to police that ended in gunfire last week.

Now the city’s police department is under scrutiny for their response and how long it took to make an arrest.

While Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara acknowledged his department’s shortcomings, he also spoke defiantly about the public outcry that officers should have done something sooner.

Moturi, a Minneapolis resident, has taken many videos of his neighbor, John Sawchak, since late 2023. He called police at least 19 times, reportedly detailing threats and intimidation.

According to police, this escalated to gunfire last week.

“The bullet went through my neck and then all the way back to my spine,” Moturi described.

WARNING: This video contains images that some may find disturbing.

O’Hara said his department has been trying to arrest Sawchak for at least six months and officers have been keeping a constant eye on him since arrest warrants were issued for Moturi’s shooting last Wednesday.

“We have 100% failed this victim,” O’Hara noted.

The chief added that Sawchak has mental health issues, was likely armed and that the police department is severely understaffed.

“We have attempted to safely take this individual into custody, which would involve removing him from the home when he is not near guns or other weapons,” O’Hara added.

On Sunday evening the police stopped waiting.

A SWAT team and a special tactics unit used a battering ram to break out windows in Sawchak’s home after several hours of negotiations failed.

Sawchak eventually surrendered in the early hours of Monday and was taken into custody.

John Sawchak is facing several charges, including attempted murder, stalking and intimidation.(Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office)

He faces several charges, including attempted murder, stalking and intimidation.

It is an outcome, after a cautious approach, that, according to Moturi, should have come much earlier.

“You have this body armor. You have a professional education. If you say you’re afraid, what does that do to me? Moturi asked.

O’Hara says that before SWAT officers were dispatched, the department used a behavioral threat team, a psychiatrist and members of Sawchak’s family to urge him to leave the house.