Feds Alert Twin Cities Gun Shops Of Potential For Looting, Unrest

MINNEAPOLIS — Federal and local officials are warning gun shops in the Twin Cities metro area of the potential for civil unrest Friday.

The warning comes as the city of Memphis plans to release video showing police officers fatally beating a man, Tyre Nichols, during a traffic stop on Jan. 7. The video is set to be released Friday night.

"Possible civil unrest in our area may result in looting of businesses," the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said in an alert to gun retailers.

"The ATF reminds you to remain vigilant and to take appropriate steps to secure both your firears inventory and your required records. Please report all suspicious person or activity to your local police department."

Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Office of Community Safety said the city "is poised to implement the Emergency Operations Plan in coordination with the Office of Community Safety and its multijurisdictional partners."

"This is being done in order to provide for the safety of the community as well as all first responders."

The city said they have no indication of any potential civil unrest in Minneapolis but are acting out of an abundance of caution.

Previous street violence in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis area saw intense street violence and vandalism in the days and weeks after the killing of George Floyd.

More than 10,000 public safety officials contributed to the effort to restore peace and safety, including the first full mobilization of the Minnesota National Guard since World War II.

Nearly 1,500 Twin Cities businesses were damaged by vandalism, thefts, and fire. Estimates of the damage in Minneapolis and St. Paul caused by riots exceeded half a billion dollars.

"Given the experience we've had and what's going on in Memphis, out of abundance of caution we wanted to make sure our licensees could protect firearms and their acquisition and disposition records," Ashlee Sherrill, a spokeswoman for the ATF, told the Star Tribune.

Tyre Nichols case

Five Memphis police officers were charged with murder Thursday in the death of Tyre Nichols. Nichols and all five officers are Black.

Nichols died three days after a Jan. 7 confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said in a news conference that while each of the five officers played different roles Nichols' death, "they are all responsible."

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.