A suspect is in custody after police said a video surveillance camera captured the moment a vehicle attacked a group of protesters shortly after midnight.
The crowd was protesting a shooting involving police officers a few weeks ago, John Elder, a Minneapolis police spokesman, told Citizen Free Press. That incident did not involve the city’s Police Department, Elder said.
The protest during which the fatal accident occurred on Monday was held in the same area where protesters had gathered more than a week ago over the death of 32-year-old Winston Smith, a black man who was killed by law enforcement officers who they were executing a court order.
The protests come as the city continues to grapple with the murder of George Floyd last year during his arrest in Minneapolis, and with the murder conviction in that case of former police officer Derek Chauvin.
While the motive for Monday’s incident is unknown, preliminary investigation indicates that drugs or alcohol may have been a factor, according to a police statement.
The surviving victim has been hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
The statement said protesters removed the suspect from the vehicle after the accident and began beating him before officers arrived and detained him.