Racial Justice Protests In Charlotte: CMPD Arrests 11, Finds Gun

CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte police arrested 11 protesters overnight, increasing the number of people taken into custody for street violence to 120 in the span of five days, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

In that time, 12 officers have sustained injuries that required medical attention, CMPD said.

For more than a week, protesters have filled the streets of U.S. cities to denouncing police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Floyd, 46, died May 25 after being stopped by Minneapolis police investigating a reported forgery. Video from the scene showed former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on a handcuffed Floyd's neck as Floyd cried out, saying he couldn't breathe.

Officers made the arrests around midnight following hours of peaceful protest after a small group of people began throwing bottles, rocks and fireworks at officers and pulled an American flag down off a pole to burn it, CMPD said. Officers also recovered two guns, a knife and a bat.

Wednesday afternoon, a protest began at Myers Park High School, where about 300 people marched before the event concluded within a few hours, police said in a statement. Around 6:30 p.m., another protest began at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center on East 4th Street.

"The first few hours of the demonstration remained lawful and involved cooperation between the police and protesters," CMPD said.

Around 11 p.m., however, tensions began to grow.

According to a police account, a small number of the remaining protesters began to throw cones into the street, and fireworks were thrown into a crowd. A group of protesters attempted to walk onto the interstate. Officers reported bottles, rocks and fireworks were thrown at them.

"Within a span of around 10 minutes, there were at least five separate instances of these objects being thrown at officers, so Riot Control Agents (RCA) were deployed to protect the public, reduce the harm to officers and preserve property," CMPD said. "The use of the RCA was effective and dispersed those who were assaulting officers."

Police also reported that a flag was taken down from a pole and set on fire, and that some protesters armed themselves with bats.

"Multiple vehicles joined and followed the protesters, and several drove recklessly, endangering those demonstrating," CMPD said. "As a result, several traffic stops were conducted, and five people were arrested for reckless driving."

SEE ALSO: City Responds After Video Shows CMPD Tear Gassing

Here's a list of the 11 protesters arrested June 3, according to CMPD:

• Ja'kerious McIlwain, 18, Possession of Dangerous Weapon at Demonstration; Carrying a Concealed Weapon; Possession of Pyrotechnics; Resist Public Officer; Warrant for Assault with a Deadly Weapon with the Intent to Kill
• Zachary Schmidt, 20, Reckless driving
• Nicholas James, 26, Assault on a Government Official
• Markquise Jennings, 22, Carrying a Concealed Weapon; Reckless Driving
• Deronald Bailey, 32, Flee to Elude; Possession with the Intent to Sale/Deliver Cocaine; Warrant for Possession with the Intent to Sale/Deliver Cocaine; Warrant for Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance
• Dwayne Lovett, 32, WFA - Obtain Property by False Pretense
• Tyshawn Walker, 23, Possession of Dangerous Weapon at Demonstration; Reckless Driving; Drive after Consuming
• Emily Pickelsimer, 22, Possession of a weapon at a demonstration
• Gabriel Neal, 43, Reckless; Driving while License Revoked
• James Mckie, 23, Resist Public Officer
• Kareem Clark, 32, Resist Public Officer