11 Arrested Following Confrontation Outside Minneapolis City Hall
Photo: City of Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS : Minneapolis police arrested 11 people Saturday following a confrontation between opposing groups during a planned demonstration outside Minneapolis City Hall, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
Police say they had been aware of the planned demonstration for several weeks and developed an incident action plan that included barriers outside City Hall to separate demonstrators from vehicle traffic and officers positioned nearby for rapid response.
At approximately 11:50 a.m., Edward Jacob “Jake” Lang arrived near South 4th Street and 3rd Avenue with six other people traveling in two vehicles, according to MPD.
Preliminary information indicates both vehicles illegally drove onto the sidewalk adjacent to City Hall and traveled eastbound at a slow speed toward a crowd gathered on the sidewalk.
Police say a confrontation developed almost immediately between members of the crowd and people associated with the vehicles. Chemical irritant believed to be mace was deployed during the confrontation, potentially by people associated with opposing groups.
Officers responded and surrounded the vehicles while working to move them off the sidewalk and away from the crowd. MPD said officers were struck by thrown objects while removing the vehicles and after they left the area.
Police relayed the vehicles' direction of travel to other law enforcement agencies, and both were later stopped.
The Minnesota State Patrol stopped one vehicle near Washington Avenue and southbound Interstate 35W. MPD officers arrested its three occupants — Eric Wayne Dawson, 53; Stephen Edward Major, 42; and Matthew Pike Oduguwa, 33 — on probable cause riot. The vehicle was impounded.
Oduguwa was taken to a hospital for evaluation of chest pain before being medically cleared and booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
Bloomington police stopped the second vehicle near Lindau Lane and IKEA Way. MPD officers arrested all four occupants — Charles Oscar Miles Jr., 73; John William-Kei Irwin, 32; Jayden Daniel Scott, 23; and Lang, 31 — on probable cause riot.
Lang was transported to a hospital for evaluation of an apparent non-life-threatening injury that police said was unrelated to his arrest. He was later medically cleared and booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
Four additional people were arrested outside City Hall. Tanner Duncan, 29, was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing legal process; William Nicholas Love, 33, was arrested for assault; Matthew Norby, 37, was arrested on probable cause riot; and Lucas Kaducak, 22, was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Norby was also evaluated at a hospital for chest pain before being medically cleared and booked into jail.
Three Minneapolis police officers suffered apparent non-life-threatening injuries during the incident. One officer was transported to a hospital for evaluation and later released.
Police also responded to Hennepin Healthcare and took a report from a man who reported being assaulted in front of City Hall.
The crowds eventually dispersed, and the area was cleared by approximately 2 p.m.
MPD said the investigation remains active and that available evidence, including video of the confrontation, is being reviewed. Additional arrests or charges remain possible.
The Minnesota State Patrol, Metro Transit Police Department and Bloomington Police Department assisted Minneapolis police during the incident.