Protests erupted in Minneapolis on Wednesday night after police shot dead a man during a stop on the south side of the city, authorities said.
According to Minneapolis police, the exchange of gunfire took place after officers pulled over the man suspected of a crime at a gas station around 6:15 p.m. The driver, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The killing of police was the first in the city since the death of George Floyd on May 25, which earlier this year sparked nationwide unrest, riots and protests. Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Wednesday’s shooting incident took place about a mile from where Floyd died.
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The scene in Minneapolis after a man was shot dead by police, December 30, 2020. (Associated Press)
In a news conference, Medaria Arradondo, police chief, said the suspect first shot and that ‘police officers then switched gunfire’, according to the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.
According to authorities, no officers were injured during the shooting, and a woman who was in the vehicle with the suspect was also unharmed. At the scene, a bullet hole was seen in a car.
After the shooting, more than 100 protesters gathered in the area, and many people shouted police words, threw snowballs at officers and demanded more information about the shooting.
Arradondo begged residents to remain peaceful and said he would move quickly to release the images from the cameras – possibly Thursday.
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“As chief, I acknowledge the trauma our city has experienced, and we want to do everything in our power to maintain peace,” Arradondo was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “Our city has gone through too much. We need to keep our officers safe, our community needs to stay safe, and I tell you, we need to preserve the crime scene.”
“Let me, the (state) investigators, give us the time, let us get the evidence, get the facts so we can process it,” he continued.
The shooting comes amid calls to defend the police department after Floyd’s death. Earlier this month, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a budget that would shift about $ 8 million from the Department of Police to the prevention of violence and mental health programs.
It also comes amid an increase in violent crime this year in the city.
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Police spokesman John Elder said the officers involved are members of the Community Response Team (CRT), which focuses on areas with major crime. He added that the officers involved were all isolated and were waiting for an interview, according to the Star Tribune.