WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) Rioters in the US city of Minneapolis protesting against the death of George Floyd, an African-American male who died after he was arrested by local law enforcement officers, have set fire to a police precinct, the Fox news broadcaster reports, adding that staff members were evacuated from the roof of the building by helicopter.
On Tuesday, a video published online showed officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck, while the latter was handcuffed, lying on his stomach, and not resisting. Floyd was later pronounced dead, sparking protests in the northern city.
According to the broadcaster, rioters broke into the police precinct at 22:00 local time on Thursday evening [03:00 GMT on Friday] and lit a fire. Officers in the building were evacuated by helicopter, the broadcaster stated.
In the aftermath of the incident, Chauvin and three other police officers were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. It was later reported by domestic media that Chauvin, who served for 19 years, had been the subject of at least 12 conduct complaints that resulted in zero disciplinary action.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Attorney's Office, and local prosecutors are currently investigating the incident. According to FOX's local affiliate, FOX9, Hennepin County prosecutors are pursuing murder charges for Floyd's death and federal prosecutors are examining whether a hate crime took place.
During a press conference on Thursday evening, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told reporters that the four officers currently being investigated in the incident are not cooperating with prosecutors.
US President Donald Trump has asked the FBI and the Justice Department to expedite the investigation into Floyd's death, adding that those responsible will be brought to justice.
According to the Mapping Police Violence organization, which tracks deaths at the hands of US law enforcement officers, 1,099 people died during arrests or while in police custody in 2019. The organization says that African-American individuals are three times more likely to be killed by law-enforcement officers than their Caucasian counterparts.
