U.S. News

Fourth man pleads guilty to Minneapolis precinct arson

By Sommer Brokaw   |   Jan. 23, 2021 at 11:11 AM
Protesters burned the Minneapolis Police Department 3rd Precinct after George Floyd's death in police custody.  Photo by Tannen Maury/EPA-EFE

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A fourth man has pleaded guilty to a Minneapolis, Minn., police precinct arson after George Floyd's death in May.

Davon De-Andre Turner, 25, the last of four people indicted for the arson of the Minneapolis Third precinct headquarters on May 28, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of conspiracy to commit arson.

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The fire occurred after Floyd, 46, an unarmed Black man, died on May 25 after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over 8 minutes, spurring anti-racism, Black Lives Matter protests across the world.

According to court documents, the fires were set as protesters shouted "burn it down, burn it down," after a fence was torn down outside the building.

Turner is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Minnesota. Prosecutors also announced that Branden Michael Wolfe, 23, pleaded guilty in December to one count of conspiracy to commit arson at the same Third Precinct headquarters.

Wolfe will be sentenced on April 22, according to prosecutors.

Bryce Michel Williams and Dylan Shakespeare Robinson have also pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson.

Williams sentencing is set for March 9, and Robinson's sentencing is set for April 6.

Earlier this month, a Minnesota judge ruled that Chauvin, who faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death, will be tried separately from the three other officers accused of aiding and abetting -- Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, who will be tried together.