MINNEAPOLIS — George Floyd was killed one week ago today.
And his death has caused an uproar in the Twin Cities and across the country. The officer seen kneeling on George Floyd's neck before he died has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
In the Twin Cities, destruction has been widespread. Often, its been hard to know where fires or damage seekers would pop up.
Monday morning, North Minneapolis was hit. While some people slept, parts of North Minneapolis burned. Witnesses told us fire destroyed four businesses housed inside a strip mall on 44th Avenue.
The Minneapolis Fire Department said the blaze is suspicious.
The building housed Mailbox Solutions Plus store, Boost Mobile and Tom's Barbershop. Residents also say they heard gunshots all night long, and, when they tried to call 911 for help, they couldn't reach an operator.
Valerie Fleurantin and others we spoke with said they were calling to report gunshots and vehicles in residential neighborhoods with missing license plates. She and others questioned why there has been limited police presence surrounding their homes and businesses.
The sound of gunfire was captured on a Facebook live stream and a man pleading with the hundreds for folks with heat to come help. But who attacked the north side?
Lane Cunningham, who is married to Ward Councilmember Phillipe Cunningham, said he believes it is the work of one group.
"We have white supremacists on bikes, going through alleys with backpacks," he said. "Sometimes they are wearing masks to cover up most of their faces. They are wearing all black. The come here under the cloak of night."
Fleurantin said she knows the people causing problems "are not from" the north side.
"They have been down our alleys riding bikes. We are not terrorizing our own neighborhood," she said as volunteers handed out food donations behind her on the corner of Broadway and Emerson. "Here is what we are doing. We are feeding our neighborhood."
"They have their guns out. They are running up and down our streets," she said. "We have been calling for help. I emailed the emergency email because 911 isn’t operating."
Minneapolis Police Spokesperson, John Elder, said the department is handling three times the number of 911 calls received on a regular day.
He also said Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo "shared with me the story of what sounded like automatic gunfire when he was out last night," he said adding the Chief responded to some of the calls for help.
Rev. Jerry McAfee, who is a pastor at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, said he understands the "police can't be everywhere" all the time.
And, the community is responding. Neighbors united and watched over their property - including one of the only places remaining to purchase groceries in the area.
"We have been guarding solo for the last three nights. We have North Market further down." McAfee said.
But Monday Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington downplayed what the residents said happened.
Harrington responded to questions about safety concerns in the Twin Cities as rumors fly on social media about plate-less cars driving around neighborhoods, and Minneapolis police report flammables being found in bushes.
"At some point we struggle with what is said and what is actually happening," he said.
Harrington said that they get many tips that they have pursued and found that "there's no sign that was happening."
"I was hearing crazy stuff about the Klan marching down the street," he said. "We've got traffic cams, we've got - none of that happened."
Meanwhile, Fleurantin said the recent unrest in the Twin Cities reminds her of a life she escaped.
"My mom brought me to America from Haiti to escape the political unrest. Sleeping under the beds to avoid gunshots, death threats, threats of school raids and PTSD when in large crowds," she said. "Took years to work through that and now I am here. And to be in America, and have a son who has to experience the same level of trauma ... I don't know."