(KNSI) – The owners of a building in Minneapolis’s Uptown neighborhood near the community garden that sprang up after a fatal police shooting say they have cleared out that space after it became the site of recent violence.
Seven Points Uptown, formerly known as Calhoun Square, was the site of a garden dedicated to 32-year-old Winston Boogie Smith, Junior, who was killed by U.S. Marshals after allegedly shooting at them, and Deona Marie, who was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver in that area while protesting the shooting. It has also been the site of fires, destruction of property, violent acts, and noise violations. Groups are also accused of blocking access to homes and businesses. In a statement, Northpond Partners, the owners of the private property, said they had no problem with the garden as long as it remained a peaceful and safe place, but recent issues forced them to make the decision to have the garden removed, calling the situation “unsustainable” and “unhealthy.”
Over the weekend, a video surfaced showing a car doing doughnuts in an intersection as someone inside the vehicle shot a gun into the air.
A statement issued by Seven Points Uptown said, “The priority must be on the “health, safety, security and overall well-being of all of our neighbors, businesses, employees, tenants, customers, and visitors.”
The intersection of Lake Street and Girard Avenue South turned into a protest site after police shot Smith on June 3rd while trying to apprehend him on the top floor of the parking garage. Activists called for the immediate release of body cam or dashcam footage after the shooting because police said Smith shot first. A woman in the car with Smith at the time of the shooting said she did not see a gun in the car. Members of that federal task force do not wear body cameras, and there was also no dashcam footage.
It appears though Minneapolis police were reportedly on the scene when the garden was cleared; this was a move made by Seven Points saying clearing out the garden was “in collaboration with our neighbors, and community stakeholders, and the City.”
Seven Points Uptown says it will work with the families involved and local artists to create a “permanent tribute as we move forward with the planning for the future Seven Points development.”
___
Copyright 2021 Leighton Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast, published, redistributed, or rewritten, in any way without consent.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!