This is what lead to the Minneapolis unrest? My soul is exhausted. pic.twitter.com/DehiwJxL4Z
— Kalen From Scriberr (@FromKalen) August 27, 2020
A man committed suicide on a Minneapolis street as police were closing in on him to make an arrest. As officer approached the man could be seen on a video apparently taking out a gun and shooting himself in the head.
It later emerged that he had committed murder just hours earlier in a nearby parking garage.
After shooting himself, bystanders could be heard accusing the officers of killing the man.
The incident touched off widespread looting and chaos in Minneapolis.
Doesnt look locked down to me…
Looting is now taking place at the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis after a man committed suicide while being pursued by police. Any excuse to riot. pic.twitter.com/LGVY7DVX6E
— Andrew Beverley (@AndrewBVCU) August 27, 2020
Law enforcement just broke up looting at Saks 5th Avenue. Deployed some pepper spray and dispersing crowd. Arrests being made one block away.
— Courtney Godfrey (@courtneygodfrey) August 27, 2020
Minneapolis is had also been the scene of widespread unrest in the months after the police killing of George Floyd on May 25.
“I will not allow to add more trauma to a city that’s still grieving from May 25,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo.
Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson said his deputies were helping the Minneapolis Police Department to quell the unrest. He urged people to go home and gather the facts before just jumping to conclusions.
“When the police do things wrong we need to hold them accountable, but this is not the case,” he said. “We as the police, the Sheriff’s Office did nothing wrong tonight.”