RICHFIELD, Minn. – Minnesota protesters blocked traffic on Interstate 494 in Richfield, Minnesota, Sunday evening following a vigil for a suspect killed in an officer-involved shooting in the city.
Brian Quinones, 30, was fatally shot after a vehicle pursuit around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.
The moments leading up to the officer-involved shooting were captured on a Facebook Live video that was started by Quinones. The video (see below) starts minutes before officers tried to pull him over.
In the video, officers begin pursuing Quinones not long after the video begins. During the recording, he seems to remain calm, but distant, as he fails to yield to police.
At that point, the video shows Quinones jump from the vehicle—with what appears to be a large knife in his hand—and seconds later gunshots are heard. Reportedly, both Richfield and Edina officers were involved in the incident but it’s not clear which department fired shots.
A vigil was held in Quinones’ memory near the shooting scene around 6 p.m. According to a Facebook event, members from Black Lives Matter and other advocacy groups took part in the candlelight vigil along with members of Quinones’ family, Fox 9 reported.
After 7 p.m., the Minnesota protesters moved from the shooting scene toward Portland Avenue and the 494 ramps. On 494, protesters blocked cars from moving, creating a substantial back up along the highway headed east for about a half-hour. Shortly after, the protest moved back off the roadway and towards the shooting scene.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances of the shooting. Thus far, they have released few details about the incident.
Sadly, some form of this progression has become the American culture in 2019: Despondent suspect leads police in vehicle pursuit that is streamed live on Facebook; suspect brandishes knife (or other weapon) and refuses to surrender; suspect is stopped by police using deadly force; suspect is called a “victim” by the press; protests follow.
