Social media rumor sparks angry mob, but officer, not suspect, was shot

A St. Cloud, Minnesota, police officer was shot in the hand early Monday while struggling to arrest an armed 18-year-old suspect.

The officer never returned fire and eventually took the man into custody, but rumors on social media twisted the story and implicated the officer, sparking an angry crowd that marched toward police headquarters, vandalizing businesses and threatening police on the way.

Authorities were forced to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd that reportedly began circling officers at 10th Avenue Southeast and University Avenue Southeast in Minneapolis, according to CBS affiliate WCCO.

“This place could’ve been on fire, over a lie,” said a frustrated St. Cloud Police Chief William Blair Anderson, calling the rumors “very reckless” and “very dangerous.”

“Social media is a demon,” he added.

The incident happened amid heightened tensions nationally between police and the black community in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Anderson noted the wounding of the officer could have warranted deadly force, but he credited training and a strong relationship with community for the situation ending without anyone killed. Another officer on the scene at the time of the scuffle also never opened fire.

It was unclear how the confrontation began and escalated.

Another man was also taken into custody in the altercation with officers.

Both the wounded officer and the suspect had to be briefly hospitalized. Anderson said the officer was expected to be OK and was in good spirits.

Detectives recovered a firearm at the scene.

Four people were arrested for damaging property among the crowds.