Family of imprisoned ex-Minneapolis police officer J. Alexander Kueng launched a fundraiser for him to help rebuild his life.
“We, his family, continue to be stunned at what we can only perceive as evil actions by individuals that have derailed our lives and made us question our sanity,” says the GiveSendGo page, which was set up by Joni Kueng, Alex’s mother. Both she and her son appeared in the Alpha News documentary “The Fall of Minneapolis.”
Kueng, a native of North Minneapolis, dedicated his life to his family, friends, and community, the page explains. In 2018, he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance. He then joined the Minneapolis Police Department as a Community Service Officer, a role for aspiring officers, and began his orientation at the Minneapolis Police Academy on Feb. 19, 2019.
On May 22, 2020, Alex achieved his goal of becoming a police officer, one of nearly 80 black officers in a department of nearly 900 at the time. “Mr. Kueng was thrilled at the honor to serve his community and interact with the public,” reads the fundraiser. However, just three shifts into his new role, Alex was involved in an incident that led to national and global attention.
“At 26 years of age, three shifts in as a police officer, Mr. Kueng was swept up in a racially charged public controversy,” the fundraiser says. On May 25, 2020, Alex responded to a call regarding a counterfeit $20 bill, which culminated in the death of George Floyd. The Kueng family described this as a moment that “forever, irrevocably, inexplicably shattered him and broke his family while ending his career.”
The fundraiser says that Kueng faced immediate public accusations, threats to his safety, and needed to go into hiding. “Immediate accusations and public conviction engulfed the entire nation in less than twelve hours,” his family wrote.
Two years later, Kueng was convicted in federal court and sentenced to 36 months in prison. He faced state charges a year after that and remains in prison, the fundraiser says.
Kueng’s family emphasized his character and dedication to others. The fundraiser notes, “As a big brother, Alex has always been a responsible, kind and caring mentor to his younger siblings.”
Kueng’s partner, with whom he has been in a committed relationship since age 18, has stood by his side throughout the ordeal. According to the fundraiser, she “dropped out of school to support them both and make bail stipulations while waiting for the unfathomable possibility of prison.”
The family credits the support and prayers of others for helping them endure the situation. “Over the last few years, the evil forced upon us has been overshadowed a thousandfold by the goodness of people and the strength of their prayers, cards, and letters,” they wrote. “Thank you so much for saving our sanity and for helping give Alex his life back.”
The fundraiser seeks to provide Kueng with some resources to help him rebuild his life after the last four years. “Alex is more than ready to grab his girl by the hand, reconnect with family and friends, and, thanks to all the support and prayers sent his way, is determined to rebuild his life,” his family wrote.
The three other officers also imprisoned in connection with the death of George Floyd include Thomas Lane, who was released earlier this year, along with Tou Thao and Derek Chauvin who are both still serving sentences.
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
