Riots broke out Sunday evening in Brooklyn Center, a city just north of Minneapolis, after an officer-involved shooting of a black man earlier that afternoon.
Not many details are known at this time on what led to the shooting, but tensions ran high at the scene of the incident. Protesters became rioters as they damaged police vehicles, resulting in riot police having to use crowd control munitions.
The violence was not over as protesters and rioters gathered outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department building. Police used tear gas and flashbangs to clear the area, but looting began to occur in stores nearby.
Inside the looted Brooklyn Center Foot Locker.
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) April 12, 2021
Crowds are not dispersing, keep driving around and move from storefront to storefront while 3-5 cops drive up with a warning... and then disappear again where looters go back into stores. pic.twitter.com/PAteWXUZfM
Dozens of Brooklyn Center residents who live in the apartments across from the police precinct are peering out their windows filming the tense encounter will police. Flash bangs keep exploding above and around their building. People yelling: “Children live there!!” pic.twitter.com/9PMh87qeAd
— Liz Sawyer (@ByLizSawyer) April 12, 2021
The mother of Daunte Wright speaks on what happened to her 20 year old son this afternoon in Brooklyn Center, MN. pic.twitter.com/Kcepf3mGml
— Alice (Al gal, your pal) (@itsnotfunny) April 12, 2021
While the situation was deteriorating in the city, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) released a short statement on Twitter, saying he was monitoring the situation and they are praying "for Daunte Wright’s family as our state mourns another life of a Black man taken by law enforcement."
He did not send out a tweet condemning the violence and lawlessness breaking out in Brooklyn Center.
I am closely monitoring the situation in Brooklyn Center. Gwen and I are praying for Daunte Wright’s family as our state mourns another life of a Black man taken by law enforcement.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 12, 2021
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