Minneapolis police have been attempting to reopen an area of Uptown Minneapolis that has been blocked off by protestors. Protestors blocked off the area in response to the shooting of Winston Boogie Smith on June 3.
Crews of police officers have arrived near Hennepin and Lake Street to remove the items blocking the streets. Protestors have used the space to hold vigils for Smith and Deona Marie, a woman killed by a man driving through the blocked-off area and a crowd of protestors on Sunday night.
A grieving woman is comforted by a friend while she kneels during a vigil for #DeonaKnajdek.
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 (@TCReporter) June 15, 2021
Filmed during sun set last night at Lake & Girard in Uptown Minneapolis. The site is now home to memorials for #WinstonSmith & #DeonaMarie. Scroll my feed for more from this event. pic.twitter.com/9NS68QvPKy
The current scene is described to be tense between protestors and authorities, according to WCCO.
Authorities attempted to arrest the 32-year-old St. Paul resident on a weapons violation when Smith was fatally shot on June 3, on the top floor of a nearby parking ramp.
The U.S. Marshals Service said Smith was wanted for allegedly being a felon in possession of a firearm and that Smith did not comply while parked in his vehicle. They also said that task force members only opened fire when Smith produced a firearm.
Update, looks like the city is breaking up barricades in Uptown, Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/Uj7RBu99Pb
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) June 15, 2021
Smith is now the third man to die at the hands of police, following George Floyd over a year ago and Daunte Wright in April.
According to authorities, the two officers who were responsible for firing at Smith were not wearing body camera footage. The officers were also undercover, so authorities have said that state law bars them from releasing their names.
Family members of Smith and the community are demanding transparency for his death as they feel it was unjust with there being no recordings of the event from law enforcement.
