Man Plows Car Into Group Of Minneapolis Protesters, Killing 1, Injuring 3
A woman is dead and three others injured after a man plowed his SUV into a crowd of protesters in Minneapolis on Sunday night (June 13).
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, the suspect, who has not yet been identified publicly, was pulled out of his vehicle by protesters after the crash that happened just before midnight. CBS Minneapolis reports the man was held down until law enforcement could arrive to apprehend him.
Hennepin County County Jail roster records reveal that the man was a 35-year-old St. Paul resident and he was arrested early Monday in Minneapolis on suspicion of vehicular homicide, driving after having his license suspended, and giving false information to police. Police suspect the man, who had his license suspended as a result of multiple DUI offenses, was under the influence of a substance during the incident.
The crash happened in Minneapolis uptown area. Two protesters were brought to Hennepin Healthcare for treatment. Two others sought medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries at area hospitals.
Relatives have identified the dead crash victim as 31-year-old Deona Knajdek, according to CBS Minnesota.
The ongoing protests in Minneapolis were over the death of 32-year-old Winston Boogie Smith Jr, a Black man who was shot and killed by police in Minneapolis.
Authorities say Smith was wanted on a weapons violation and fired a gun before deputies fatally shot him in Minneapolis. That police shooting comes as the city continues to watch to see what happens in the case of Daunte Wright, who was killed in a traffic stop in suburban Brooklyn Park, Minn., and also as it heals from the massive upheaval caused by the death of George Floyd.
Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force were trying to arrest Smith on a warrant for allegedly being a felon in possession of a gun, authorities said. The Marshals Service said in a statement that Smith, who was in a parked vehicle, didn’t comply with law enforcement and “produced a handgun resulting in task force members firing upon the subject.”
A march in Deona Knajdek’s honor is slated for this evening in Minneapolis. According to a Facebook event post, organizers say they will advocate for laws to protect protesters and harsh sentences for those who drive into them.
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