In 35 years of covering news, a Minneapolis radio reporter says nothing compares to how close the riots protesting the death of George Floyd have hit home for him.
Steve Simpson arrived at WCCO about 6-years ago, and recalls watching national coverage on TV over the weekend at home when he realized his own street was on the screen.
“When things are happening that close to you, you’re not only paying attention for the sake of the news aspect of it, but you’re paying attention for your safety. It’s not just on television, it’s literally a block and a half from you,” recalls the reporter.
He adds there was a photographer for the local TV station who was arrested, as well as an MSNBC reporter who was hit with a rubber bullet.
Simpson calls the amount of police needed to handle the anger unprecedented, and notes the number of officers seen through the streets Sunday night has not been seen by his coworkers who were born there.
“I think the largest call up of troops, of National Guard troops to help with civil unrest here in this state is under 700. On the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul that night, we had over 5,000,” says Simpson.
The WCCO reporter adds Minnesota has never needed that many police officers in its history. And, he uses the words “visceral anger” to describe what stands out the most.
With a police officer charged with 3rd degree murder, Simpson says city police officers have been acquitted before over split second decision high profile shootings.
“Basically the law says ‘If your life is in jeopardy, you can fire your weapon and kill the suspect’. This case was totally different. We watched for eight minutes this police officer kneeling on this man’s neck,” points out the WCCO reporter.
He adds it’s very tough to prosecute police officers because there is ‘so much law’ on their side.
