Minnesota National Guard deployed to Minneapolis amid unrest

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis in response to civil unrest, including looting, following what authorities described as misinformation about the suicide death of a Black homicide suspect.

Walz said late Wednesday he was mobilizing the Minnesota National Guard but did not say how many troops were being deployed.

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“We once again see the unrest on our streets. And not just Minnesota but as a nation, this pain continues on," he said during a late-night press conference. He also tweeted that it was "time to heal."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had imposed a curfew Wednesday night until 6 a.m. Thursday and had requested National Guard help after people broke windows and stole merchandise from downtown stores.

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Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo dispelled rumors on social media about the death of an unidentified Black man suspected in a Wednesday afternoon homicide, who later fatally shot himself on the Nicollet Mall as officers approached, according to officials.

The incident, which was captured on city surveillance video and released by police within 90 minutes, nonetheless sparked protests and looting in the heart of downtown.

The video, which was later removed in response to community feedback, confirmed the police account of what happened and showed the man glancing over his shoulder before pulling out a gun and firing, then collapsing to the ground as a half-dozen witnesses ran away with their hands in the air, according to the Star Tribune. The officers, one of whom had his gun drawn, shooed a remaining witness away and kicked the suspect’s gun away before performing chest compressions.

“This is not an officer-related incident,” Arradondo said. “We’re compounding more tragedy by the destruction and folks wanting to do harm to our communities in our downtown sector this evening.”

Minneapolis was rocked by protests that at times turned violent after the May 25 death of George Floyd. Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was handcuffed, died after a white police officer held his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes despite Floyd's several shouts that he could not breathe in moments captured on cellphone video.

Demonstrators also have gathered in downtown Minneapolis this week to protest after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot in Wisconsin on Sunday, which his family said has left him partially paralyzed, according to a report.

In Minneapolis, Floyd's death set off several nights of violence, including the burning of a Minneapolis police precinct office, until Walz activated the National Guard.

TV footage and reporter's tweets Wednesday night showed people grabbing merchandise at a Saks OFF 5TH store, a fire at a British pub, and broken windows on the door and shrimp scattered on the sidewalk outside Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Minnesota Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said fireworks were being set off and bottles were being thrown late Wednesday, and there were reports of gunshots.

One officer was hospitalized with a serious injury that was not life-threatening, Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said.

The Minnesota State Patrol mobilized about 150 troopers and all available metro area state troopers in response to the unrest in Minneapolis, Walz said.

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“What we’re calling for right now is peace," Frey said. “What we’re calling for right now is for people to return to their homes.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.