Remembering the Lives Lost and Businesses Destroyed During 'Mostly Peaceful' Riots
Multiple major cities have been devastated by violent riots and looting sprees following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.
Originating in Minneapolis, the protests have in many cases devolved into riots and spread across the country to states such as California, Ohio, New York and even Iowa.
Despite the reality of the riots, various media outlets have been describing the “protests” as “peaceful” or “mostly peaceful.”
WATCH: Media tout “peaceful protesters” amidst rioting and looting. pic.twitter.com/l8art6r8wQ
— MediaResearchCenter (@theMRC) June 2, 2020
Although many of the protests began in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, several of them resulted in killings.
Here is a list of states that have suffered violence, excessive rioting and loss of life during the riots:
Minnesota
Minneapolis was the original source of the protests and riots.
Calvin L. Horton Jr., 43, was shot and killed May 27 outside of a pawn shop. The owner of a nearby business has been arrested in connection to the killing, according to WCCO-TV.
BREAKING: Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct on fire as riots continue https://t.co/GZxYtLYw6B pic.twitter.com/BcuxYsmwor
— FOX 9 (@FOX9) May 29, 2020
Moreover, in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area alone, nearly 500 businesses have been vandalized, looted or had their doors and/or windows smashed.
At least 67 businesses have been completely destroyed by fire as of Friday, according to the Star Tribune, and others have suffered extensive water or fire damage.
The Star Tribune noted its list was “incomplete,” suggesting more businesses have been damaged as well.
California
The violence in California has also been devastating.
Federal law enforcement officer Dave Patrick Underwood, 53, was providing security for a federal courthouse in Oakland during the protests on Friday when he and his partner were shot in a drive-by shooting, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Underwood died and his partner was wounded, NBC News reported.
Absolute Chaos along 4th street in Santa Monica… looting with impunity on both sides of the street. No police in sight. We’ve watched this happen to dozens of stores for 45 minutes now… pic.twitter.com/WOdEhIz3th
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) May 31, 2020
Meanwhile, more than 120 Los Angeles businesses were impacted by the “destruction of the last few nights” of riots, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said during a briefing on Monday.
Additionally, at least nine fires were set in Santa Monica on Sunday, according to KABC, and dozens of Bay Area businesses were looted or damaged.
Monday night was an especially violent one in Vallejo, where an officer-involved shooting occurred, and numerous stores were looted and vandalized, KRON reported.
“In 27 years of service, I have never experienced what I did last night in the city of Vallejo,” Police Chief Shawny Williams said.
San Diego and Sacramento, as well as many other California cities, have been hit hard by the violence as well.
New York
New York City didn’t fair much better.
WABC-TV reported over 27 businesses in the Bronx were broken into on Monday night. The Macy’s in Herald Square and various other Manhattan businesses were looted as well.
Across the city, police trying to keep the peace were met by rioters armed with loaded Molotov cocktails, firearms, bricks and brass knuckles, according to Fox News.
In total, experts told the New York Post that New York City businesses have suffered tens of millions of dollars in damages and theft so far.
Swarms of people trying to break in and loot Macy’s. NYC curfew won’t be stopping them tonight… #NYCRiots #nycprotest pic.twitter.com/K8aLDIsAKz
— Daniel McCarter (@DanielMcCarter) June 2, 2020
“Many of the businesses they looted where mom and pop shops in distressed communities that were struggling in the first place. In New York City, Rochester, many of these businesses were essential businesses for the poorest communities in those locales. They looted mom and pop stores that don’t have the resources to rebuild and reopen,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week, according to WNBC.
Illinois
While many Illinois cities such as Peoria, Naperville, Champaign and Rockford have been hit hard by the rampant looting and violence, the Chicago area has suffered the worst.
In the Chicago suburb of Cicero, two men were shot and killed Monday by “looters who are not Cicero residents,” town spokesman Ray Hanania told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Breaking: Widespread looting is ongoing in Chicago, Illinois. Rioters have looted a Nike store, a Macy’s, a Neiman Marcus, and several other shops. The Chicago Mayor has declared that a curfew will start at 9 PM. pic.twitter.com/hiHwK66nrz
— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) May 31, 2020
By Monday morning, Chicago firefighters had already battled 85 fires within a 24-hour period.
“Each call represented retailers, who once had thriving business that were first ravaged by looters, then turned into infernos,” WBBM-TV reported.
On Monday, WLS-TV reported at least six people had been shot, one fatally, amid the protests, forcing the Chicago Loop Alliance to announce Wednesday that businesses in the loop will likely be closed down for another two weeks.
Michigan
Michigan has seen its fair share of unabated violence.
During a protest in Detroit on Friday night, a 21-year-old man was shot and killed when an unknown assailant began firing from a vehicle, according to CNN.
The next night, Detroit police skirmished with violent protesters near Detroit police headquarters. Rocks, bottles and M-80 firecrackers were lobbed at police, who in turn launched tear gas into the crowd, Michigan Radio reported.
#BREAKING: Businesses in Grand Rapids, MI are now being damaged. What was once a peaceful protest has turned into a riot. pic.twitter.com/7UrM6dcOfv
— Brennan Prill ⚡︎ (@WxBrenn) May 31, 2020
Grand Rapids was hit hard over the weekend, resulting in fires, looting, smashed windows and extensive damage to much of the downtown area. In one instance, firefighters who arrived on the scene to fight a dumpster fire had explosives thrown at them, prompting them to escape the scene and allow the fire to continue to burn, according to MLive.
Missouri
In St. Louis, police officers have been targeted by the rioters and looters. On Monday night, retired St. Louis City police captain David Dorn, 77, was shot and killed outside of a looted pawn shop.
In a stunning development, our office has learned that every single one of the St. Louis looters and rioters arrested were released back onto the streets by local prosecutor Kim Gardner. pic.twitter.com/tMZVAyHssw
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) June 3, 2020
Four officers in St. Louis were shot early Tuesday morning. Rioters also threw bottles, rocks and fireworks at law enforcement personnel.
The criminals also reportedly attacked firefighters, laying down gunfire and throwing rocks at them so that they couldn’t get to the scenes of fires.
There were several other victims killed during the riots in other cities across the country.
David McAtee, the owner of a Louisville barbecue restaurant, was shot and killed as police and members of the National Guard tried to clear a crowd on Monday, KTLA reported.
As violent protests erupted around Indianapolis, 38-year-old Chris Beaty, a former offensive lineman for Indiana University, was shot and killed.
Moreover, 22-year-old Italia Kelly was also shot and killed on Monday in Davenport, Iowa, while leaving a protest that took place next to a Walmart.
And in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday, 22-year-old James Scurlock was killed in what appears to have been a self-defense shooting after he allegedly assaulted the owner of two downtown bars.
Various other cities across the U.S. saw riots destroy or damage multiple businesses. Some of the other cities impacted the worst include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver and Houston as well as Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; and Des Moines, Iowa.
Even just outside the White House in Washington, D.C., multiple Secret Service officers were injured over the weekend, according to WRC-TV.
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