Armed Civilians Guard Minnesota Stores as Rioting and Looting Erupts for a Second Night
Looting and rioting flared for a second night around Minneapolis on Monday, with rioters calling their attacks on stores and police a response to the death of Daunte Wright.
Wright, a 20-year-old African-American male, was killed Sunday after being pulled over by Brooklyn Center police.
On Monday, Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said that the officer who shot Wright appeared to have thought she was firing a Taser at Wright when she was actually firing her service weapon.
That explanation did little to bring calm to the streets of the Minneapolis suburb, nor did a curfew that rioters violated as they attacked a Brooklyn Center police station.
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Rioters erupted in a wild outbreak of looting Sunday night, and on Monday attacked more stores — including a Dollar Tree store that was later set on fire — according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Some stores were reportedly protected by armed civilians, whose presence alone was enough to deter the crowds.
Smoked poured out of the ransacked Dollar Tree while police move in to clear the crowd from the parking lot. pic.twitter.com/tM5yum8oOc
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) April 13, 2021
Some Brooklyn Center stores are being protected by civilians with firearms. The looters have stayed away from these places. pic.twitter.com/fAcmYFxLG6
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) April 13, 2021
Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matt Langer said that police tried to disperse the crowds besieging the Brooklyn Center police station through dialogue.
“Unfortunately, those efforts weren’t successful … so … [we] stood and protected that building,” he said, according to Fox News.
Early Tuesday, Langer said about 40 arrests were made during the violent protests against the police.
He said several police officers were injured by objects thrown by the rioters. Some rioters launched fireworks at the police, while others threw trash at the officers.
Now at the protest outside the Brooklyn Center police precincttear gas fired by police . Water bottles being thrown- #BrooklynCenter #DaunteWright hundreds are here. Disperse order announced. Curfew has been in effect for an hour and a half. pic.twitter.com/acytOqRba4
— Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) April 13, 2021
Fireworks launched in the air towards the station, police have been firing off flash bangs in response #BrooklynCenter #DaunteWright #BrooklynCenterPolice pic.twitter.com/LUBrTZAOYP
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) April 13, 2021
MN State Troopers used crowd control munitions after getting into a scuffle while trying to arrest some rioters. pic.twitter.com/LnhHh4RjNR
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) April 13, 2021
Another 13 people were arrested in Minneapolis, according to Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Amelia Huffman. She said five businesses in Minneapolis, including a liquor store, shore store and a Target, were looted Monday night.
Demonstrations inspired by the Brooklyn Center rioting also took place in New York and Los Angeles, as well as Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Louisville, Kentucky, according to USA Today.
Due to the riots, home games scheduled by the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Timberwolves were postponed.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
