Status: 04/12/2021 10:44 a.m
A young black man was fatally injured by a police officer’s gunshot in Brooklyn Center. The details of the incident are still unclear. It triggered some violent protests in the American suburbs.
A young black man was killed by a police officer’s gunshot in the city of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. The exact background to the incident has not yet been fully clarified. Nevertheless, the death prompted renewed protests once morest alleged police violence.
According to US media, the dead man is a 20-year-old black man. The police themselves initially did not comment on the identity of the dead man. The man was stopped on Sunday followingnoon local time in the suburbs of the US metropolis of Minneapolis for a traffic violation. Upon reviewing his records, officers found that he had an arrest warrant.
When the police tried to arrest him, the 20-year-old fled in his car. One of the police officers then fired shots at the vehicle and hit the driver, according to the responsible police department. The man died on the spot, a passenger was injured and taken to a hospital.
Minnesota officers shoot black man at traffic stop
Tagesschau 09:00 a.m., April 12, 2021
Hundreds gather to protest
Hundreds of people took to the streets in Brooklyn Center that same evening. Some waved flags of the “Black Lives Matter” movement. According to the media, some of the protesters climbed onto police patrol cars and provoked officials. Demonstrators also gathered in front of the city’s police station. Some of the protests escalated in confrontations with the police. Officials reportedly used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the demonstration.
City Mayor Mike Elliott tweeted a call for calm. He spoke of a “tragic incident”. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also commented on Twitter and offered condolences to the deceased’s family. Again the life of a black man was ended by police forces.
Investigations should clarify the incident
Police say an investigation into the death has been launched. The officers involved in checking the black man are said to have worn bodycams, the recordings of which might possibly provide information regarding the exact processes. In addition, there is said to have been a dashcam in the 20-year-old’s vehicle, which may have been activated when he collided with another car while attempting to escape.
The trial of a former police officer involved in the May 2020 operation that ended in the death of Black man George Floyd is currently taking place in Minneapolis, which borders Brooklyn Center. The defendant is said to have pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Floyd then lost consciousness and died shortly therefollowing.
According to the forensic medical report, the 46-year-old suffocated as a result of the violent action. Because of the death, a total of four police officers have to answer in court. Floyd’s death sparked massive protests once morest racism and police violence across the United States.