A Minneapolis police officer was struck in the head with the lid of a trash can during riots on Wednesday night.
The officer was positioned near a squad car as the department worked to stop the looting of a Walgreens pharmacy. As he reached for the car, a trash can lid struck him in the back of the head. The officer struggled to get up as rioters appeared to cheer on the attack.
Other officers were filmed running into the area to help the officer who was struck. It is unclear if the individual responsible for tossing the lid was apprehended.
Riots broke out in Minneapolis after false rumors circulated that an officer had been involved in the shooting death of a homicide suspect. The department released a video that showed the suspect taking his own life as a way to quash rumors that an officer had fired a weapon. The video did not deter the rioters, who burned at least four buildings and looted several businesses downtown. At least 50 individuals were arrested during the riots, and the governor was forced to call in the National Guard.
Many were upset that the department released the graphic video of the suicide. The department pulled the video down Thursday morning.
“Yesterday MPD posted a video in order to dispel rumors that caused significant public safety concerns for our city. After receiving feedback from the community, we have removed the video due to the graphic nature and out of respect to the individual, his family and the community,” the department tweeted.
