Demonstrators have torched buildings in Minnesota amid chaotic protests over the police killing of an unarmed black man this week, with dramatic scenes of clashes, looting and now arson emerging on social media.
A Minneapolis auto parts store was seen nearly engulfed in flames on Wednesday night, with a column of black smoke pouring out of the building after protesters set it alight.
Multiple unconfirmed reports of additional fires were also heard on police scanners, with smoke reportedly billowing out of a Target store that was looted earlier, while an officer described “huge flames” in front of a nearby dollar shop. The status of both storefronts remains unclear.
While police initially appeared to maintain some distance from the burning store, a significant law enforcement presence was seen nearby, as officers clad in riot gear descended on the area.
Violent street clashes also broke out across the city, as demonstrators looted a number of stores and vandalized the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd precinct headquarters – where officers fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades from the building’s roof to disperse the crowd.
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