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At least 7 people have been shot and killed in this weekend's anti-police violence protests in the wake of George Floyd's death

Jun 2, 2020, 04:50 IST
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Policemen and a protester at a rally over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky.Darron Cummings/AP Photo
  • Anti-police brutality protests across the United States have turned ugly, with violence and gunfire.
  • Police in Nebraska reported one shooting death, while authorities said two people were killed in Iowa, two in Kentucky, and two in Indianapolis.
  • Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski said the violence in Iowa was "completely unacceptable" and "does not honor the memory of Mr. Floyd."
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Protesters across the United States are seething over the death of George Floyd, and the collective furor has sparked massive demonstrations against police brutality from coast to coast.

Some demonstrations are peaceful, while others have been marked by looting, vandalism, arson, and clashes with police. The death toll associated with the wave of violence is adding up.

A 22-year-old black man, identified as James Scurlock, was shot and killed late Saturday outside a bar in Omaha, Nebraska, called the Hive. Omaha police alleged that the man who owns the bar opened fire and has taken him into custody, according to the Omaha World Herald.

The slain man's father, whose name is also James, is demanding justice, saying, "Last night, I lost a son. My kids lost a brother. His daughter lost a father ... We want them to go to court," according to the Herald.

Steel Brooks/Anadolu Agency via Getty Image

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However, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine announced Monday that the bar owner, Jacob Gardner, acted in self-defense and will not face charges, KETV reported.

He discussed video footage of the scene showing Scurlock jumping on Gardner, who said, "Get off me, get off me, please get off me," before firing the gun he was carrying, striking the young man.

"You can't use deadly force to protect property," Kleine said. "Deadly force can only be used if someone is in fear of their own life or serious bodily injury and they don't feel like they can retreat safely. Even if they are mistaken, if their beliefs have a reasonable basis, it's justifiable for them to use deadly force ... that's what the law is."

In Louisville, Kentucky, early Monday, a man was shot dead during a protest against the death of Breonna Taylor. Police shot the 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times in March after they served a search warrant at the wrong residence, her family alleges.

Police officers and National Guardsmen were shot at while trying to clear an area during a curfew, Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad said. The man, since identified as 53-year-old David McAtee, was killed when they returned fire. One witness told the Associated Press that the group of people was unrelated to the protests.

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Social media users reported that McAtee's body was left on the ground for most of Monday.

State and local police are investigating the shooting death of McAtee, who owned YaYa's BBQ, the Courier Journal said.

"He left a great legend behind," said his mother, Odessa Riley, to the Journal. "He was a good person. Everybody around him would say that. My son didn't hurt nobody. He didn't do nothing to nobody."

In fact, Riley said, her son was a "community pillar" who fed local law enforcement officers free of charge.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced Monday that Conrad has been fired because none of the officers involved in McAtee's shooting had turned on their body-worn cameras.

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A car is torched in a Target parking lot during a protest over the death of George Floyd.REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Meanwhile, police in Davenport, Iowa, responded to 20 calls report shots fired, according to Mayor Mike Matson. At least four people were wounded by gunfire, including a police officer. Two of the shooting victims have died, the Des Moines Register reported.

"They were not like the protests and demonstrations Saturday," Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski said. "What we experienced tonight, last night was completely unacceptable and it does not honor the memory of Mr. Floyd."

Violence also erupted in Indianapolis, claiming two lives in separate shootings on late Saturday and early Sunday, according to the Indianapolis Star. Police have arrested one suspect but did not specify which shooting the person was connected to.

The victims have been identified by the Marion County Coroner's Office as Chris Beaty, a 38-year-old who managed local nightclubs and played football at Indiana University, and 18-year-old Dorian Murrell, according to the Star.

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