Parts of Minneapolis Hit Hard By Rioters (Video, Photos)
Minneapolis (KROC AM News) - As calm has been restored to a section of Minneapolis where chaos broke out in the form of riots Wednesday night, witnesses, photographs, and videos are showing how extensive the damage is.
What began as a second night of demonstrators and protesters upset about the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis turned into a violent and ugly scene that included fires, property damage, and looting Wednesday.
And police are investigating a possible homicide that may be linked to Wednesday’s chaos.
Protesters began forming in the late afternoon and the crowd grew over the next few hours. Police officers in the area began using chemical irritants in an effort to keep the crowd under control but conditions continued to deteriorate and led to this Twitter post by Gov Walz around 10:30 PM:
“The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation. For everyone's safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene.”
Dozens of businesses and buildings were either looted, torched or damaged - or all three. Fires burned through the overnight and smoke was still visible as of 6:30 AM Thursday.
Minneapolis officials asked Walz to send National Guard soldiers to help restore calm. No immediate decision was made but 50 - 60 state troopers were dispatched. Minneapolis police also confirm several surrounding cities supplied officers.
Witnesses say there were hundreds or perhaps thousands of people involved in the violence that included shootings. The Star Tribune is reporting a business owner may have shot and killed a man he thought was trying to break into his building. Fire trucks had to use police escorts to respond to many of the blazes that broke out and their vehicles were hit by rocks and bottles. Witnesses reported seeing vehicles speeding through residential neighborhoods and running red lights. The rioting was still going on as late as 4:30 AM Thursday.
Video from the scene shows looters inside a Target store and other businesses were also looted and set on fire.
It was peaceful Wednesday afternoon as people gathered outside a police precinct to protest the death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old died on Memorial Day and a video shows an officer kneeling on his neck until he became unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead. That officer and three others who were at the scene were fired the next day.
GALLERY: Minneapolis Riots - George Floyd Demonstration Turns Violent
Drone video shot Thursday morning shows the aftermath of the violent demonstrations and riots in Minneapolis Wednesday night: