City of Erie Under State of Emergency after Protest Escalates, Businesses Vandalized, Man Shot
What started as a peaceful protest in downtown Erie over the death of George Floyd while he was in police custody in Minneapolis quickly escalated once the sun set Saturday evening.
The Erie police chief called in all off-duty officers and riot police after vandalism was reported.
A window at City Hall was broken, and someone spray painted the building.
From the top of City Hall, police called for the crowd to disperse and used tear gas. They also did the same from the ground as tear gas and fireworks went off. Protesters also threw items like water bottles at police.
Later, an ambulance was brought in for a man after he was reportedly shot in the thigh around 11 p.m. during the protest turned riot, a witness told Erie News Now.
Firefighters also put a small fire set at the Erie Otters office at 8th and Holland around 11:45 p.m.
Multiple businesses in the 300 and 400 blocks of State St. were vandalized. Many like Ember + Forge and UPick6 Tap House had broken windows.
The crowd largely dispersed and calmed down around midnight.
The Erie Police SWAT Team, Millcreek Police and Pennsylvania State Police were also called in for assistance.
The City of Erie asked people to stay home and not go downtown as police work to calm the riot. It issued the following statement just after midnight:
"The peaceful protest in downtown Erie has turned into a riot. The situation has escalated, and we are in a state of emergency. Do not go downtown. We ask all residents to please stay in your homes while our Erie Police Officers try to calm the situation and disperse the crowd."
Gov. Tom Wolf Saturday evening signed a disaster emergency declaration using his authority to provide all necessary assistance to municipalities as they respond to the escalation of protests in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Windows smashed
Fire set at building
Tear gas and fire
Man shot
Police and protesters
1 a.m. update
12:30 a.m. update
12 a.m. update
Protest escalates into riot
Riot damage and aftermath
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