A screenshot from Mayor Lyda Krewson's Tuesday press conference
On Tuesday morning, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson called a press conference with Director of Public Safety Jimmie Edwards, St. Louis police chief John Hayden, St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, and Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis Kim Gardner.
Krewson announced that as a result of last night’s violence after relatively peaceful protests in St. Louis, starting tonight there would be a 9 p.m. curfew. With the exception of those going to and from work; those working in local, state, and federal government; and those going to and from hospitals, St. Louisans must be off the streets and home by 9 p.m. Those who violate the order will be subject to arrest. The curfew lifts at 6 a.m. and will be in effect until further notice.
Monday saw the fourth day of protests in St. Louis sparked by the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd. Floyd, an African-American, died in police custody a week ago, after Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on his neck for eight minutes. Chauvin, as well as three other officers at the scene, were fired. Chauvin was charged with murder and manslaughter. Floyd's death has sparked protests and unrest across the nation and worldwide, calling attention to police reform and racism.
Edwards stated that last night, a group of 200 people were responsible for the criminal activity, including shooting at police as well as burglarizing and vandalizing businesses in the city. One of those businesses was Lee’s Pawn & Jewelry, located at 4123 Dr. Martin Luther King. Retired police captain David Dorn was responding to an alarm when he was shot to death by someone looting the store. Hayden says that police have not made an arrest in the case.
Four police officers were also shot last night. Hayden said that all four have been released from the hospital. Hayden stated that officers “did an extraordinary job under nearly impossible circumstances.” He believes that because the group of individuals who were responsible for violence seemed to be coordinating, that the attacks were planned.
Edwards said that last night, the FBI—including SWAT and surveillance teams—the National Guard, ATF, Missouri Highway Patrol, and the St. Louis County SWAT team assisted city officers. They will continue to assist the city until further notice. Twenty-five arrests were made, and 55 businesses were vandalized.
Edwards then addressed the individuals who are responsible for last night’s chaos: “We have your surveillance pictures, and I will use every tool available to me to count every freckle on your face until you have been identified and arrested. And I trust that our circuit attorney and that our judges will do their jobs to the fullest extent of the law.”
Edwards continued: “To our [business owners,] we will do everything we can to protect your property. To our citizens, please separate yourselves from people who hide among you in the name of protesting in the daylight, just to do harm to you in the cover of darkness. To our officers: I got your backs, and I truly believe that the majority of citizens in the St. Louis area and its region have your backs. I'm not happy. Today, justice will be done.”
Gardner noted that yesterday was filled with peaceful protests and that as an African-American woman, she shares frustration about inequities in the criminal justice system. However, she said, “what happened last night was a small group of individuals who chose to benefit off the pain and suffering of our community and use it as an excuse to cause … harm to our communities and engage in senseless violence. I will continue to uphold the right to peaceful protest, but I want to be clear: I will use the full power of the law and my officer to prosecute and hold accountable anyone who murders police officers, shoots at police officers, or harms anyone in my community. These people who committed the heinous acts are not interested in finding solutions to the intractable racism that is at the heart of these protests."
“To the peaceful protesters out there doing the right things for the right reasons, continue to make your voice heard,” Gardner added. “And to help us root out those whose actions work directly against justice for all.”
