George Floyd death: Community is reeling after tense protests turn violent in Minneapolis, Memphis, Los Angeles
Smoke still billowed from buildings Thursday morning after another night of protests in Minneapolis. Photos showed buildings burnt, windows smashed, debris thrown about and empty store shelves from overnight looting.
Ben Crump, attorney for Floyd's family, warned any instigators of violence in the Minneapolis protests. "We don't need that. We need people focused on getting justice," he said during an interview on CNN early Thursday.Wednesday the"overwhelming majority" of protests had been peaceful but some had disregarded others' safety. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also called for the city to remain calm in a plea to his residents overnight.Man fatally shot amid violence; police say suspect in custody Police spokesman John Elder told USA TODAY that the department was investigating a homicide near the area where athat a suspect was in custody early Thursday, but did not confirm any connection to alleged looting.Photos shared on social media showed massive fires, including a building under construction that went up in flames as the city descended to darkness Wednesday night. Star Tribune video journalist Mark Vancleave tweeted that neighbors sprayed their homes with garden houses to try to stop the flames from spreading to other structures. Vancleave also tweeted that protesters lit fireworks toward police. Officers were in riot gear, and the National Guard was called out to the local police precinct, the Star Tribune reported. At one point, officers fired noise devices and projectiles toward a crowd of dozens gathered outside the Third Precinct. The nonlethal shots were fired after a group of protesters rolled dumpsters onto the street. The protests continued for hours, with some throwing objects at police and officers spraying water from low-pressure hoses to keep control., officials at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office promised to conduct a"robust criminal investigation" into Floyd's death. The statement said that authorities would investigate whether the officers involved in Floyd's death violated federal law. "It is a violation of federal law for an individual acting under color of law to willfully deprive another person of any right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States," said the statement from U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald and FBI Special Agent in Charge Rainer Drolshagen. The offices called for witnesses to help in their investigation. Following the FBI and DOJ investigation, the U.S. Attorney's office will decide whether to file federal charges, the statement says. Minneapolis police previously said the FBI was aiding in its investigation of the incident, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office would handle prosecution of state criminal charges.In an interview with CNN Thursday morning, Philonise FloydPhilonise Floyd said he wanted to see the officers involved arrested immediately. The four officers were identified Wednesday, but no charges have been filed despite pleas from the Floyd family, Frey and others in the city. "These officers, they need to be arrested right now. They need to be arrested and held accountable for everything," Floyd told CNN. Asked whether he had seen the video of the officer holding his knee to his brother's neck, Floyd said, holding back tears:"I watched the video. It was hard but I had to watch the video. As I watched the video, those four officers, they executed my brother." Ben Crump, an attorney representing the Floyd family, told CNN that the family would be seeking an independent autopsy. The city has not yet released an autopsy report in Floyd's death. "They offered him no humanity while keeping his knee on his neck. Members of the public were the only ones trying to de-escalate the situation. Not the police," Crump said.
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