Hundreds of protesters marched to the Brooklyn Center police department to protest the officer-involved shooting of an African-American man, where they were met by police officers in riot gear; some took advantage of the turmoil and started looting shops, including a local Walmart.
Videos have emerged online showing some of the protesters looting stores near Brooklyn Center during the rally, which was declared unlawful by police.
HAPPENING NOW: Widespread looting reported in near Minneapolis after deadly officer-involved shooting - https://t.co/IvdRAEHw24pic.twitter.com/7GdzgEOM2Q
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 12, 2021
🚨#BREAKING : Reports Of Major Looting Happing At Walmart And Footlocker near Brooklyn Center
— R A W S 🚨 L E R T S (@Rawsalerts) April 12, 2021
📌#MN I #Minnesota
Thing Remains Very Intense With MPD And Protesters with the Killing Of 20 Year Old #DaunteWright As He was Stopped by MPD traffic stop#brooklyncenter #Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/xUTUZSGSVF
Looting in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/UvfLGfzOyq
— PT News Network (@PTNewsnetwork) April 12, 2021
Police have ordered protesters to disperse, resorting to tear gas, as multiple clashes erupted between officers and protesters, who gathered near the scene where the man was shot dead.
The scene at the Brooklyn Center police department. pic.twitter.com/IVUftqXAAJ
— Carlos Gonzalez (@CarlosGphoto) April 12, 2021
Footage on social media shows people jumping on police cars, breaking windshields and confronting law enforcement officers who were deployed to quell the crowds.
This was taken at 7:15
— Ben Henry (@BenryNews) April 12, 2021
Police SUVs were getting damaged - one was throwing a concrete block to smash windows, others were stomping the roof.
Police moved in to try and keep order.
The mother of the shooting victim got on speaker asking everyone to stop the violence. pic.twitter.com/RAbMxaSSel
According to The Star Tribune, the man has been identified as Daunte Wright. Daunte was fatally shot by a police officer on Sunday after being pulled over for a traffic violation. The officer, who hasn't been identified yet, reportedly discovered that the driver had an outstanding warrant. The man ostensibly attempted to re-enter the vehicle as officers tried to take him in custody, and one of the officers shot the man.
Daunte then continued to move for "several blocks" before crashing into another car. He was pronounced dead at the scene, despite life-saving measures taken by paramedics.
Last year, a wave of protests swept through the United States following the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, in police custody in the state of Minnesota. Many of the protests turned into riots, with violence against police and civilians as well as acts of looting, property damage and arson.
