Minneapolis Police Release Video of Suspect Shooting Himself Amid Rumors He Was Killed by Officer
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS GRAPHIC AND MAY OFFEND
The death of the African-American man, falsely blamed on local law enforcement, sparked a spate of protests and looting in downtown Minneapolis as the city is still struggling to recover from the riots in the wake of George Floyd's killing in police custody.
Minneapolis police have released footage showing the final moments of an unnamed African-American suspect in the case of a fatal shooting who committed suicide as he was about to be arrested by law enforcement officers.
The suspect, who is believed to have been behind the murder of another person as a result of a quarrel on 26 August, is seen in the video approaching the closed door of a building and pulling out his gun, scaring nearby bystanders. He then seemingly puts the gun's barrel into his mouth and pulls the trigger soon afterwards.
The release of the graphic video by the police was a measure taken around 90 minutes after the incident in a bid to prevent mass protests amid rumors that it was one of the officers who shot the African-American man. Police vehemently denied these claims, stating that "no officer weapons were fired" throughout the incident. This, however, didn't stop people from rioting and looting several malls downtown.
