Good morning and welcome to your Sunday. It has been an incredible five days across the state and the nation. First, the weather. Mild end to May. Temperatures expected to be mild across the state with patchy clouds. Highs expected around 75. More on Updraft | Forecast Weekend curfew is extended through Monday morning. In a Sunday morning briefing with reporters Gov. Tim Walz extended the curfew, that expired Sunday, which includes closing the interstates. He attributed curfew compliance among the reasons for restored order in the Twin Cities after days of looting, arson and mass property destruction. Saturday evening saw a rapid, overwhelming response by the Minnesota National Guard and law enforcement. If you are just catching up. Fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd. Three other Minneapolis officer were fired in the incident, but have not been charged. Floyd, 46, of St. Louis Park, died after Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes. The killing sparked mass protests and calls for justice in Minnesota and cities across the nation. Floyd's body will be returned to Houston.
Floyd was a Houston native before moving to Minnesota. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Saturday that Floyd's body would be coming back to Houston but provided no additional details. His family has not announced funeral plans. While welcoming the charges against Chauvin, his family -- through their lawyer -- has said they want to see a first-degree murder charge and the other officers charged.
Who are the 'protesters?' Walz and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul estimated that 80 percent of the people involved in the violence and destruction were from outside the state. “The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,” Walz said at a morning news conference. “It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear, and disrupting our great cities.” However, on Sunday Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said 20 percent of those arrested Saturday were from outside of Minnesota.
As state surpasses 1K deaths, protest raise fears of new outbreaks. Minnesota hit a grim milestone Saturday as the state surpassed 1,000 deaths tied to COVID-19, and health officials said they expected a spike in cases after nearly a week of massive demonstrations over the Floyd killing. Here are the latest coronavirus statistics as of Saturday:24,190 confirmed cases 1,026 deaths 589 people remain hospitalized; 263 in intensive care 17,864 patients no longer needing isolation
— Chris Graves, MPR News | @chrisgraves | 