Several stores in downtown Minneapolis were looted after the police department released a video of a homicide suspect apparently taking his own life to quell suspicion that an officer was involved.
The man in the video was suspected of being involved in a fatal shooting on a parking ramp earlier in the day. Officers who responded to the shooting found the deceased victim, but two suspects, a man and a woman, had fled the area. When police finally spotted the man, he dipped into a doorway and apparently shot himself near a group of bystanders.
The man, who is black, has not been identified. The woman who was involved in the shooting was later detained by officers. One of the officers who spotted the man before he dipped into the doorway had drawn his weapon, prompting rumors that the officer had fired a weapon at the man. Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said the department released the video to end those rumors.
“This video has been released to help quell rumors and hopefully thwart civil unrest,” said Elder. “We are able to release the video in this instance because they are city cameras and our officers were not involved in any deadly use of force. Had that been the case, we would have turned all of this over to the [Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension].”
The video did not prevent rioters from ransacking a Target and several other stores downtown. According to a report from the Star Tribune, at least one activist tried to calm the group by shouting, “We have the video. The man killed himself.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said that he was sending state patrol officers to assist law enforcement. He said that “unlawful behavior will not be tolerated.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a press conference on Wednesday night that a curfew was taking place immediately and that he had requested assistance from the National Guard.
Minneapolis also witnessed riots following the death of George Floyd in late May.
Ppl breaking into Nordstrom’s pic.twitter.com/2oWqy7Pk0S
— Andy Mannix (@AndrewMannix) August 27, 2020
