National Guard deployed again in Minneapolis, after purported suicide of black male suspect

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday night again activated the National Guard to control unrest in downtown Minneapolis over the death of a black male. Authorities said residents began protesting in the city’s downtown as a result of misinformation about the suicide death of a black homicide suspect.

The Democratic governor declared a peacetime emergency in Minneapolis and said he was mobilizing the Minnesota National Guard but did not say how many troops were being deployed, according to the Associated Press.

The unrest came almost exactly three months after the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black male, in the custody of the Minneapolis police. Floyd’s death sparked weeks of social justice protests in Minneapolis and across the country, which also included violence, arson and the looting of businesses. 

The new unrest in Minneapolis also comes amid four nights of unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where a black male was shot by police Sunday night.

“We once again see the unrest on our streets. And not just Minnesota but as a nation, this pain continues on,” Walz said Wednesday night.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey imposed a curfew Wednesday night until 6 a.m. Thursday and requested National Guard help after people broke windows and stole merchandise from downtown stores.