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June 15, 2021

Driver Kills Peaceful Protester at Minneapolis Vigil for Black Man Killed by Police
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In Minneapolis, a driver slammed his car into a crowd of peaceful
demonstrators who had gathered Sunday at a vigil against police
brutality, killing one person and injuring three others. The crash
killed 31-year-old Deona Marie Erickson, a mother of two small
daughters. Police arrested the driver, Nicholas Kraus, on suspicion of
vehicular homicide. He's a 35-year-old white man with a history of
domestic violence and at least five convictions for driving while
intoxicated.

Protesters had gathered to demand justice for Winston Smith, a
32-year-old Black father of three who was shot dead in Minneapolis on
June 3 by members of a U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Minnesota
officials said Smith fired a gun at officers, who returned fire,
striking him multiple times. Police say there is no video of Smith's
killing. A woman who was a passenger in the car disputed the police
account, saying, through her attorneys, that she never saw a gun on
Smith and never saw one in his vehicle.


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