Winston Smith shooting: Protests continue overnight in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Police say several arrests were made overnight as protest continued following the killing of Winston Smith by law enforcement.
Friday afternoon, a group took to Hennepin Avenue at Lake Street to continue protests over the shooting. The protests kept that intersection shut down for most of the day. That is until officers moved in around 7 p.m. to push the protesters out and clear barricades the group had moved into the road. Officers also slashed tires to vehicles that had blocked the roadway and towed them away.
However, not long after the protesters were cleared from the street, a larger group showed up around 8 p.m. for a vigil to honor Smith. A group took to the top level of the parking ramp where Smith was killed for a ceremony that went on peacefully.
For the remainder of the night, a crowd stood along Lake Street near Girard, chanting– the same spot as the previous night. Still, things remained calm until police again pushed through the intersection just before midnight, pushing the remaining protesters down the street. The crowd moved but, eventually ended up back at Lake and Hennepin – where someone again set two dumpsters on fire around 12:30 a.m.
Earlier in the day, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the Minneapolis Police Department is working with other agencies to create a response plan for Friday night. At this point, the Minnesota National Guard has not been requested to assist.
"Certainly people are going to be wanting to express their First Amendment rights and their ability to protest and we want to be able to support that wherever and whenever we can," said Frey.
However, he said any looting or rioting is not acceptable and with be dealt with accordingly.
The shooting
Winston Boogie Smith, as identified by family and friends, was shot by a Ramsey County deputy and a Hennepin County deputy during an encounter on the top floor of the parking garage in the 1400 block of Lake Street Thursday afternoon, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. A U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was attempting to arrest Smith, 32, for a warrant on a felony firearms violation when the incident occurred.
BCA investigators say there is evidence showing that Smith fired his gun from inside the vehicle and spent casings were found on the driver's side. There is no body camera footage or squad dash cam footage of the incident.
However, social media postings seem to show Smith was prepared for a confrontation with police.
An internal document from law enforcement quotes Smith as saying he'd "shoot it out" if he was ever pulled off by police.