MINNEAPOLIS — Dozens of buildings along Lake Street in Minneapolis were broken into, looted, and burned late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Authorities struggled to contain the riots, which began after protests over the death of George Floyd.
According to Minneapolis police, one person was fatally shot at Bloomington Avenue and Lake Street just after 9 p.m.
The Lake Street Target store was completely ransacked, and an Auto Zone location was burned down. The Cub Foods at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue were looted.
Smaller businesses, such as Minnehaha Lake Wine & Spirits, were also looted, reports the Star Tribune.
So many buildings were burning that smoke plumes became visible on weather radars, MPR Weather reported.
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Several reporters were eventually pulled from the scenes for their safety.
Later into the night, a large building on Lake Street and 26th Avenue South erupted in flames.
Vandals also made their way into Uptown. FOX 9’s Paul Blume reported the Hennepin Lake Liquor was broken into and looted.
Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey both pleaded for peace:
Metro Transit said Thursday its Blue Line will be shutdown indefinitely.
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The scale of the damage caused overnight will likely take weeks to assess.