Crowds of protesters flocked the streets of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on Sunday, clashing with police, jumping on police vehicles, smashing windshields and throwing bricks, footage shared on social media shows.
The unrest commenced after earlier on Sunday, a police officer fatally shot a driver after pulling him over for a traffic violation and discovering "an outstanding warrant". The driver, according to police, attempted to go back into the vehicle as officers tried to take him in custody, and one of the cops shot the man.
The driver 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.
Following the killing, protesters gathered in the area, reportedly tearing down crime scene tape. Videos shared in social media show people jumping on police cars, breaking windshields and confronting law enforcement officers who were deployed to stop the unrest.
Music can be heard playing in the background, and some are seen waving Black Lives Matter flags and holding up posters reading "Justice for George".
According to one video, the alleged mother of the victim called on protesters to stop the violence.
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
A riot seems to have commenced in Brooklyn Center at 63rd and Lee following an officer involved fatal shooting today. Bricks and other objects are being thrown, windshields being smashed. pic.twitter.com/6s2hbpwXZR
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) April 12, 2021
Latest from the scene of the officer-involved shooting in Brooklyn Center @WCCO pic.twitter.com/ZaEnPWMUNU
— Jason D. Myles (@JasonDMyles) April 12, 2021
Tim Scott should diffuse the situation by talking about his bill to make Juneteenth a national holiday https://t.co/clVVrr3xpm
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) April 12, 2021
Another video shows a protester moving to pick up a concrete block while standing near a police car and being shot by an officer.
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) April 12, 2021
Holy shit we have a riot#Minneapolis #BrooklynCenter pic.twitter.com/GZvuKG5xhM
— Cat Hyde Кот Хайд (I'm just here for my ban)🖤🧡 (@KBoomhauer) April 12, 2021
Crowd pushing law enforcement back pic.twitter.com/4Ta7ed2ghU
— Jason D. Myles (@JasonDMyles) April 12, 2021
An investigation into the Sunday shooting has been launched, with Brooklyn Center Police Department saying it is believed that body-worn cameras and dash cameras were active during the altercation.
According to local media reports, the name of the victim was Daunte Wright, 20. CBS Minnesota reported, citing the victim's mother, that he had called her to say that he was being pulled over and that the officers had asked him about insurance. The call was reportedly then ended by an officer, and the mother heard someone telling her son not to run.
The fatal shooting took place in Minnesota, where in May 2020 a black man named George Floyd died at hands of a white police officer Derek Chauvin who kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds until the former was dead. Floyd's death caused nationwide protests against brutality and racism by US police, some of which evolved into violent riots.
Chauvin is currently on trial, charged with second-degree murder. He denies the charges.