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Man shot near ‘George Floyd Square’ in Minneapolis as Derek Chauvin trial begins

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On Sunday, May 7th, in Minnesota’s George Floyd Square– a memorial intersection for one George Floyd who is an important figure for the Black Lives Matter movement– just days before the trial of the man charged with Floyd’s death– Derek Chauvin– citizens were frightened as they fled an eruption of gunfire that left a man dead. 

Minneapolis Police Department spokesman, John Elder, has provided the public details regarding the shooting and whether or not the events were related to the impending trial of Chauvin set to begin less than 48 hours after the shooting occured. Elder said that “police were alerted to Saturday’s shooting at about 5:45 p.m. local time and were told the victim or victims had been brought to the ‘autonomous zone’ at the edge of the intersection.” He expanded, saying, “Officers were met with some interference at the scene.” Additionally, he noted that the victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. 

Elder described the suspect as someone he was in his mid 30s. Additionally, he added that the suspect fled in a cream Chevy suburban. Lastly, he noted that there was more than one person hurt in the events and that the suspect is considered armed, dangerous, and still missing.

The shooting occurred during a mass protest in George Floyd Square, in which over 150 people gathered in front of the governor’s mansion to demand more accountability for police officers– like Derek Chauvin– who use excessive force. Reportedly, some of the protesters present were family members of individuals who had died during police interactions. Similar protests could be seen in major metropolitan areas across the country– like those seen in St. Louis, Portland, and more– speaking out against officers like Derek Chauvin, the man being tried for the death of George Floyd. It’s said that Chauvin’s lawyers will be arguing that Floyd’s death was not a result of the excessive force displayed by Chauvin, but instead was a result of the misuse of Floyd’s prescription drugs that reportedly caused an overdose.

It’s not clear whether or not the attack was related by the protest. However, whether the attack was a reaction to the protest or inspired by it is a different story. Nonetheless, it’s clear that the shooter is a very dangerous individual who is still at large in the Minneapolis area. More updates will follow.

ARTICLE: CARSON WOLF

U.S. NEWS EDITOR: CARSON WOLF

PHOTO CREDITS: STAR TRIBUNE

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