Minneapolis, St. Paul, Brooklyn Center, other suburbs impose curfews after Wright killing, unrest

Minneapolis, St. Paul, Brooklyn Center and a handful of other suburbs will once again implement curfews in the wake of two nights of unrest following the Sunday death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man killed by police in Brooklyn Center.

Curfews in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Brooklyn Center, Fridley, Robbinsdale, Columbia Heights, Maple Grove, Crystal and New Hope will begin at 10 p.m. Tuesday and lift at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

In Brooklyn Park, a curfew will begin earlier, at 8 p.m., and will also include an exemption for voters and election workers handling the city’s mayoral primary, said Camille Hepola, the city’s communications manager. Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The curfew in Champlin begins at 7 p.m.

The curfew orders include exemptions for first responders, media, people driving to and from work or religious services, and people seeking medical care or fleeing dangerous circumstances.

The Minneapolis curfew also includes exemptions for organizations partnering with the city to defuse tensions.

The curfews followed another tense night in the Twin Cities.

On Monday, about 300 people attended a peaceful vigil for Wright near the location where he was shot.

Later that night, about an hour after curfew took effect, police began warning hundreds of demonstrators who had gathered in Brooklyn Center. Police fired multiple rounds of tear gas, rubber bullets and flash grenades. Some people retaliated by throwing water bottles and launching fireworks.

Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matt Langer said in a news conference early Tuesday that some law enforcement officers had minor injuries, and they didn’t have reports of any protesters being injured.

Police said they also received reports of looting and shots fired in Minneapolis.

Law enforcement officials said the Minnesota State Patrol, Minneapolis police and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office arrested a combined 34 people Monday night.

This story is developing and will be updated.

Many metro officials including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Minnesota Department of Pubic Safety commissioner John Harrington, Minneapolis Police Chief and others watched Gov. Tim Walz make remarks during a press conference in Minneapolis, Minn., on Monday, April 12, 2021.  RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER – STAR TRIBUNE