Man charged with attempted murder of neighbor over property dispute

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot and killed his neighbor because he was trimming a tree he believed was on the boundary of his property, court documents show.

Davis Moturi said he did Gardening outside his house on Wednesday afternoon when he was shot by his neighbor. According to Moturi's wife, she found Davis in the fetal position when she came home from work.

Moturi was taken to Hennepin Healthcare, where doctors found a gunshot wound in his neck. At this point, Moturi is in stable condition.

According to Moturi's wife, their neighbor had told Moturi the previous week, “Touch my tree again and I will kill you.” She continued that this was not the first time they had contacted law enforcement about their neighbor.

Court documents show the Moturis have had problems with this neighbor since moving into their home in September 2023. The Moturis have filed at least 19 police reports against their neighbor, ranging from vandalism to threats of physical assault.

In another incident, the neighbor allegedly threw human waste through his mailbox and was caught on surveillance camera using demeaning and racist language toward the couple.

The man, identified as John Sawchak, is charged with four counts: attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault with intent to cause great bodily harm, stalking and harassment.

Court documents indicate that Sawchak is not currently in police custody, but he has at least three active arrest warrants for previous threats and acts of violence against the Moturi and other neighbors.

Michael Holland, a criminal defense attorney in Minnesota who is not connected to the case, says anyone in a similar situation should look at the regulations and not bother with restraining orders.

Minneapolis police and city council argue over how to handle a suspect

“We are not going to go in and break down his door with guns blazing and get into a deadly force situation,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said in a news conference Friday.

According to police, Sawchak has actively evaded police in previous attempts to contact or arrest him.

“We wanted to arrest the suspect where he would have the least access to firearms. This is outside of the residence,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Friday. “Unfortunately, this suspect in this case is a recluse and doesn’t get out of the house often.”

O'Hara also said the situation escalated in part because of Moturi's actions.

“He's a liar. He’s a damn liar,” Moturi replied.

The Minneapolis City Council sent a letter to Mayor Jacob Frey and Chief O'Hara on Friday calling for urgent action related to the incident. The letter said Minneapolis police failed to take action and ensure his safety.

Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins confronted O'Hara after the press conference and asked him why he hadn't responded to her emails requesting facts.

“We need to get violent criminals off the streets,” Jenkins said. “I am not a police officer. I don’t know how it’s done, but I know it has to be done.”

Here is the full letter from City Council members to Mayor Frey and Chief O'Hara:

Mayor Frey and Chief O'Hara,

We write today in utter horror at MPD's failure to protect a Minneapolis resident from a clear, persistent and well-reported threat from his neighbor. Ward 8 resident Davis Moturi was hospitalized after being shot by his neighbor two days ago on October 23, 2024. Mr. Moturi contacted MPD beginning in February of this year and made dozens of reports via 911 and 311 about his neighbor's specific threats and actions.

The Hennepin County District Attorney's Office issued an arrest warrant for the suspect four months ago for threats against Mr. Morturi, but the Minneapolis police refused to execute the warrant. The Minneapolis police did not respond to Mr. Moturi's calls in a timely or effective manner, allowing the problem to escalate for ten months. MPD did not provide reports to the Hennepin County Prosecutor's Office when the suspect brandished a knife and shouted racial slurs at Mr. Moturi or when the suspect threatened Mr. Moturi with a weapon, both within the last two weeks. MPD still has not arrested the suspect, although the Hennepin County District Attorney's Office has filed charges of attempted murder, first-degree assault, stalking and harassment and the HCAO has requested a warrant with a $1 million bond. MPD told HCAO that it did not intend to execute the warrant “for officer safety reasons.”

MPD's failure to act has caused Mr. Moturi to ask himself, “Am I not a human being like you?” We echo Mr. Moturi's heartbreaking question as to why MPD failed to protect this Black resident from a clear and serious threat and why they continue to do so by not cooperating with the District Attorney's Office and not arresting the suspect. We also have many questions about how and why MPD leadership and the mayor allowed this situation to escalate.

We support Councilor Jenkins, who has taken every step since her constituent first contacted her in February and today, after months of seeking justice and protection for Mr Moturi, had to write another email saying: “The inevitable is finally happened.” ” after these months of inaction. Our systems have failed Mr. Moturi in every way and it is high time that he finally receives justice. We urge MPD to immediately arrest the suspect so that he can face justice for his We also urge the MPD and the Mayor to provide a full explanation of how and why the MPD once again failed to do its job and a Black man once again paid the price.

Sincerely,
Councilmember Andrea Jenkins, District 8
Council President Elliott Payne
Vice President of the Council Aisha Chughtai
Jason Chavez, Chairman of Public Health and Safety
Robin Wonsley, deputy chair for public health and safety