MINNEAPOLIS, MN– Multiple stores in downtown Minneapolis were ransacked and looted by several groups of people after a homicide suspect took his own life on Nicollet Mall.
When is it going to end???
Riots, Looting Break Out In Minneapolis After Murder Suspect Commits Suicide. Police Release Video. https://t.co/an8N8gGT0V
— Support of #MAGA Believer (@TroyMGood1) August 27, 2020
According to Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell, law enforcement are working tirelessly to restore the calm in the downtown area. Social media shows various posts of people damaging items in a Target, as well as breaking windows of surrounding stores.
Earlier in the evening, Haskell’s Liquor Store, the Medical Arts building, a Nordstrom, and Saks Off 5th were also looted. Schnell said that people were throwing bottles and setting off commercial grade fireworks as well as reports of shots being fired.
According to reports, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is among the law enforcement groups that are helping respond to the looting.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson said in a statement:
“We’ve got cops from all over the Twin Cities coming out here to maintain order because the citizens of Minneapolis and Hennepin County deserve to feel safe. The people causing problems are going to jail tonight.”
In Minneapolis a man committed suicide while being pursued by police and they roited. At this point it is about looting, and destroying property. It isn’t about justice for anyone. It’s about lawlessness.
— Robert (@O341Marine) August 27, 2020
In addition to law enforcement taking measures to restore order in downtown, Metro Transit light rail service on the Blue and Green lines have been stopped going into downtown Minneapolis. Trains and buses also will not be serving the area until further notice.
Minneapolis, it’s time to heal. We must rebuild and recover. Dangerous, unlawful behavior will not be tolerated. The State Patrol is headed to Minneapolis to help restore order. I remain in close contact with the city and every state resource stands ready to help bring peace.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) August 27, 2020
The Minneapolis State Patrol has also been deployed to help quell the rising tensions in the downtown area. Both the Governor and Mayor of Minneapolis posted comments on Twitter calling for the unrest to cease.
Mayor Jacob Frey said:
“Destruction will not be tolerated.”
Looting Begins In Minneapolis After Homicide Suspect Commits Suicide https://t.co/5ARnbxNSXt via @dailycaller
— Lyle Schott (@lyle_schott) August 27, 2020
Allegedly, in the aftermath of the homicide suspect taking his own life, people gathered around the crime scene and started rumors on social media that the suspect was shot by police. This is not true and to refute the rumors early on, the Minneapolis Police Department held a press conference where they shared video of the incident from a city surveillance camera.
The video shows the suspect allegedly shooting himself. Below is the graphic video:
Police were actively following the suspect because of his possible connection to a deadly shooting that happened just hours before at a parking ramp downtown. Fox News reported that Minneapolis police began investigating the deadly shooting at the Ramp A parking structure in downtown early in the day.
Police spokesman John Elder said that on Wednesday, August 26th, around 2:10 p.m., officers responded to a shooting at the parking ramp near N 10th Street and Currie Avenue. Upon arrival, they found a deceased man with an apparent gunshot wound.
Elder said that a man and a woman left the scene just prior to the police arriving. Officers found the woman and she has been detained for questioning. Based off the preliminary investigation, officers believe that the three people got into a dispute and at one point, a person pulled out a gun and shot at the man. Elder said that the people know each other, and that this is not a random act of violence.
A curfew went into effect immediately Wednesday night. Mayor Frey said that the bolstering of law enforcement is an effort to “stay ahead of the game as much as possible.” According to reports, crowds shattered glass at various businesses downtown along and near Nicollett Mall.
The looting spread a couple of blocks south of Nicollett Mall to a strip mall, and there were reports of smash-and-grabs spreading west to Hennepin Avenue. The State Patrol reported that as of 1 a.m. on Thursday morning, six people had been arrested for burglary, and two for violating the curfew.
Police said that one officer was seriously injured when they were hit by an object during the unrest. The officer was taken to a nearby hospital.
Here is another article from Law Enforcement Today about the violence and looting in Minneapolis:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – More updates are coming out of Minneapolis regarding the riots that have been ongoing. We at Law Enforcement Today noted on May 28th that the National Guard was en route to the scene.
During the evening of the 28th, 500 soldiers from the National Guard were deployed to the city, with video coming forward of members arriving in armored vehicles.
The National Guard has now arrived https://t.co/0t9mYGSJaM
— Fiery But Mostly Poso 🔥 (@JackPosobiec) May 29, 2020
During the third night of protests and rioting, the 3rd Police Precinct became engulfed in flames. Officers were actually forced to retreat from the police station due to concerns over the growing fire. Video has cropped up of squad vehicles pulling out of the precinct, while people begin to hurl objects toward said police vehicles.
This is the moment when Minneapolis police officers abandoned the 3rd precinct building. Rioters chased them as they left and continued to throw objects at the police vehicles. pic.twitter.com/KoxAAYiUIN
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) May 29, 2020
Among the burning police station and city that doesn’t come close to resembling what it looked like a week ago, there were also unconfirmed reports coming in related to a possible kidnapping taking place while the chaos ensued.
Amidst all this, police are being called to investigate a possible kidnapping from the parking lot across the street from their burning station; a screaming woman was said to have been forcibly put into a vehicle that then sped away, according to scanner traffic.
— Libor Jany (@StribJany) May 29, 2020
From a friend:
“CVS on Snelling is on Fire. Car jacking and kidnapping just occurred. They’re shooting st random cars on university. Do not leave your home. It is extremely dangerous in here”— #BidenHarris2020 ⚖️ (@BrettScr1) May 29, 2020
Reportedly over 170 businesses have been vandalized or looted during the period of the riots.
As Thursday turns to Friday, our officers continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with local, state, federal and fire partners to protect St. Paul.
More than 170 businesses damaged or looted. Dozens of fires. Thankfully, no reports of serious injuries. Calm on the horizon.
— Saint Paul Police Department (@sppdmn) May 29, 2020
More and more businesses have been getting destroyed, with photos and videos now showcasing a ransacked Goodwill, a NAPA Auto Parts store set on fire, a furniture outlet getting looted, and many more examples of blatant destruction and criminal acts.
Fire has now started in St. Paul. The NAPA Auto Parts is on Fire. #wcco pic.twitter.com/W8Ld3983Ri
— Susan-Elizabeth (@susanelizabethL) May 28, 2020
Goodwill emptied by looters of anything small enough to carry. #StPaul @kare11 pic.twitter.com/fRkB3TCE57
— A.J. Lagoe (@AJInvestigates) May 29, 2020
Looters filling furniture barn in #StPaul. Walking out with couches pic.twitter.com/J8Lsifx8iw
— A.J. Lagoe (@AJInvestigates) May 29, 2020
Exactly where does this all end? If this continues, there will be nothing left of the city that many call their home.
Can anyone explain to us how looting and burning down buildings somehow honors the memory of George Floyd?
Yeah – that’s what we thought.
While the situation was developing on the 28th, reportedly five people had already been shot in the mayhem, with one confirmed as dead, and dozens of buildings being burned and vandalized.
MPD officers in riot gear decided to come through the backside of the protest as they moved crowds away from Minnehaha Avenue near the Third Precinct. Bangs started immediately and now they have the street blocked off. @kare11 pic.twitter.com/hX0zRIo0Lb
— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) May 27, 2020
During the protests and riots, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo confirmed that there was a breach of police department property by some of the crowds of people on the street.
Chief Arradondo noted that he did authorize the use of tear gas by officers in response to said breach:
“I did direct our officers to deploy gas once a secure fence was breached, and those individuals, again not all, but some of those individuals were in our secure parking facility which had access to our Minneapolis squad cars and weapons.”
While the chief noted that he respects the First Amendment that allows peaceful assembly, he said these demonstrations cannot continue to evolve into dangerous riots:
“I’m urging all those who participate in these very important gatherings to do so and to be mindful of others’ personal safety, their space, to be respectful.
We cannot have members of our community engaging in destructive or criminal types of behavior.”
[embedded content]Chief Arradondo also commented on the video of Floyd that has been the epicenter of the locals’ outrage. He said that from what he saw on that video doesn’t reflect the department’s “values”:
“What I observed, those actions from those former four officers in no way reflect the values, the vision and the culture that I want to change here with the Minneapolis Police Department.”
The identities of the four officers involved in the video were released by the MPD on May 27th.
While all four have been fired at this point, there’s been an outcry to levy charges against them.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has been vocal about this as well, asking why at least Chauvin hasn’t been arrested since he’s the one visible on the video with his knee pressed against Floyd’s neck:
“I’ve wrestled, more than anything else over the last 36 hours, with one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?
If you had done it or I had done it, we would be behind bars right now. I cannot come up with a good answer to that question.”
The morning of the 28th saw the aftermath of two days’ worth of protests turned into riots. The National Guard was requested to assist the 3rd Precinct police station in order to provide relief to officers, where protesters were said to have begun gathering around said precinct.
The National Guard responded to said request and noted that they were preparing to arrive on site.
“We are ready and prepared to answer the Governor’s request. We are currently in process of assigning and preparing units to respond,” said Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen.
— MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 28, 2020
Breaking: Multiple stores have been looted during riots in St. Paul, Minnesota. Reports indicate that police are shooting rubber bullets into the crowds. https://t.co/obyrZGu5D8
— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) May 28, 2020
Of the five people shot during the riotous nights, one man has been arrested for a fatal shooting that transpired outside of a pawnshop.
Sources say that the 59-year-old male arrested in connection with that alleged shooting was supposedly trying to stop someone from looting the Cadillac Pawn & Jewelry.
The FBI is currently assisting with the investigation into Floyd’s death, and even President Donald Trump has weighed in on the matter as well, posting the following on Twitter:
“At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd.
I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement.
My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!”
….I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement. My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020
The ongoing riots have seen the likes of a Target store looted and torn to pieces on the inside. An AutoZone was set on fire, as well as a housing development that was under construction.
Buildings of local businesses and the ilk had windows smashed and covered in graffiti.
The interior of a Cub Foods that was looted was showcased by a local news anchor who was invited into the establishment after the damage had been done. The scene that was displayed looked as though a tornado had ripped through the interior of the store.
The owners of this Cub gave me permission to show the damage inside pic.twitter.com/Y1j0Zs1byz
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) May 28, 2020
More videos have been surfacing of people looting the already decimated Target store, with many shown pulling shopping carts to load up on items to steal.
What’s confusing in all this, is the level of mental gymnastics going on for people online to justify this behavior. Joshua Collins, who is running for Congress in Washington state, had this to say online about the looting:
“As long as they continue not to care about cops murdering black people, I’m gonna continue not to care about people looting Targets & AutoZones.”
They are breaking into the cash registers at #target now #minneapolisriots #Minneapolis #GeorgeFloyd #looting pic.twitter.com/HXhD6FqEst
— Robeer.Giovanni (@Berto_Archer) May 28, 2020
The only thing that is going to come from these riots going on is further destruction and more violence and possibly more loss of life. By destroying the literal community, therein lies the possibility that investors and businesses will either not return or be scared to ever set up shop in that city.
If I was target, autozone, Walgreens or any other big business that got looted/destroyed, I would not open up in Minneapolis ever again.
— yt🍪 (@AreEsEl) May 28, 2020
The quicker that this is addressed, the better for the city. The crowds have been proven to be unmanageable, and thus additional forces are in the works to restore safety and some semblance of civility.
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