MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Minneapolis, Minnesota was once again besieged by rioters Thursday night who smashed windows, painted graffiti, started fires and looted businesses after law enforcement reportedly shot and killed an armed suspect earlier that day, reports say.
The armed suspect, a convicted felon – and thus by state law not allowed to carry a firearm – was wanted in connection with a homicide, officials say. When confronted by a member of a U.S. Marshal Service taskforce – who was not a Minneapolis police officer, reports say – the suspect pulled a gun on the arresting officer and was fatally shot and later pronounced dead at the scene, according to police officials.
Rioters responded to the shooting by lighting a dumpster on fire near the parking garage where the shooting took place; by the time the fire department and authorities responded and extinguished the blaze, the dumpster had practically melted, local media reported.
Other rioters smashed the windows of local businesses and looted several stores; in addition, nearby buildings were covered with graffiti, including slogans such as “kill cops,” “no trial for them” and “MPLS still hates cops.”
Police stayed at the scene in an attempt to prevent looting well past 2 a.m., and at points reportedly used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the protestors. Several arrests were made, according to local media, and no officers were injured.
There has been continuing civil unrest in Minneapolis – and across the country – after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer just over one year ago, with many protests against police brutality turning in violent, full-blown riots, complete with looting and destruction of community property and businesses.
There were also protests earlier in the day Thursday as barricades at “George Floyd Square” – the intersection in Minneapolis where George Floyd died – were removed to re-open the area to traffic.
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