Protests continue into night after fatal Uptown shooting

Protests and vigils continued Friday night and early Saturday over Thursday's fatal shooting of 32-year-old Winston Smith by law enforcement in Minneapolis' Uptown area.

Activists blocked traffic at busy Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue during the Friday evening rush hour. Minneapolis police officers on bikes moved in to try to take control of the busy intersection, but protesters later blocked Lake Street again with a makeshift barricade of motorcycles, bike racks and dumpsters. There were some standoffs between protesters and officers throughout the night.

Photos from the scene early Saturday showed dumpster fires in the street and a line of officers standing guard.

Multiple arrests were made after "riotous behavior" near Lake Street and S. Girard Avenue, Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said.

Earlier, activists held a vigil atop the parking ramp where Smith died after being shot by members of a U.S. Marshals Service task force.

Some Uptown businesses closed early Friday for fear that the vandalism and looting that broke out overnight Thursday might be repeated.

Earlier Friday evening, Smith's family members gathered at the headquarters of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in St. Paul to call for information and accountability. They demanded the release of any footage of the shooting, although the Marshals Service has said it does not use body or vehicle cameras.

Smith was one of seven children, and had three of his own, his family said. His mother, Tijuana Wilson, said law enforcement officers are killing far too many young Black men.

Authorities are "trying to find justice and reason why they did it when they know they was wrong when they did it," she said

Smith "was a comedian," said his sister Tiesnia Floyd. "So this doesn't sound like him." He had a criminal record, but was trying to improve his circumstances, she said.

"I wish my brother was given a second chance," she said, listing some mass shooters who are white who were arrested without being shot. "Even if it is in a cell, at least he would still be breathing."

Aaron Allen, Smith's stepbrother, said he was working at a home for disabled people when his significant other told him the news.

"When she said his name, I didn't believe it at first, I said, 'You playing, you playing,' " he said. "I froze at work. I just froze, you know what I mean?

"He helped people even though he was dealing with his own things and issues," Allen said. "He reached out to them."

Jaylani Hussein of CAIR-MN told those gathered that people will continue to "hit the streets" until there is justice in the case.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.