4 men charged in connection with shooting near 4th Precinct protest

The four men have been in custody since last week when protesters were shot, none fatally, near a Black Lives Matter demonstration for 24-year-old Jamar Clark, who was killed by Minneapolis Police two weeks ago.

He said Allen “Lance” Scarsella, 23, was charged with one count of second-degree riot and five counts of second-degree assault with a unsafe weapon for shooting at the demonstrators. Authorities have also charged Nathan Wayne Gustavsson, Joseph Martin Backman, and Daniel Thomas Macey with riot counts. Police have said that Scarsella, Gustavsson and Backman are white, and that Macey is Asian.

Prosecutors have until noon charge the men, ages 27, 26, 23 and 21.

The Hennepin County attorney’s office reported it has filed the charges Monday. But, he said: “The feds have got some different statutes….”

Investigators learned that at least one possible suspect in the shootings argued with Black Lives Matter Minneapolis protesters on another occasion.

“Another witness told Minnesota Public Radio that the men approached the encampment and started threatening protesters”. Freeman says they considered hate crime charges, but the charges announced Monday carry a heftier sentence, with Freeman noting “this is the most serious crime we can charge under the circumstances”.

Clark was shot November 15 when police responded to a call about an assault in which he was a suspect.

Scarsella was also identified as one of two masked men in a YouTube video, who say they are headed to the Black Lives Matter protest to perform a “recon”.

A police union representative has said Clark grabbed one officer’s gun, although the weapon remained in its holster.

Scarsella’s cellphone includes photos of him, firearms and “some racist images”, the criminal complaint said.

Minnesota state police and the FBI are investigating Clark’s shooting.

Coalition members also said they are concerned that Plymouth Avenue has been barricaded, often by firewood, which cuts emergency vehicle and snowplow access. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., who has been supportive of the protests, stood with the mayor in making the call for the protesters to leave.

Monday morning, Mayor Betsy Hodges urged protesters to clear the 4th precinct.

Lt. Bob Kroll, the head of the Minneapolis police union, has said Clark had his hands on an officer’s gun. In the video, Scarsella said they are on a “search and recovery mission” and J.S. displayed a handgun and ended the video with the words “stay white”, the complaint said. The acquaintance said the two made “inappropriate comments to [the] protesters, which sparked anger between BLM and his group and led to angry Internet postings…”

Protesters have demanded that investigators release any video they have of the shooting.

“They can have the street”. All we spoke with Monday say nothing, not even bad weather will stop them from seeking justice. The case was moved last Tuesday from Hennepin County District Court to U.S. District Court.