By David K. Li
Friday October 23, 2020
The Minneapolis Third Police Precinct is set on fire on May 28, 2020 during a third night of protests following the death of George Floyd.Carlos Gonzalez / Star Tribune via Getty Images
Federal prosecutors charged a far-right extremist in connection with a shooting at a Minneapolis police station during protests sparked by George Floyd's killing, authorities said Friday.
Ivan Harrison Hunter, a 26-year-old apparent member of the “Boogaloo Bois," was charged with one count of rioting after his arrest Wednesday in San Antonio, according to a statement by federal prosecutors based in Minneapolis.
Protesters, calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism, flooded the streets of Minneapolis and many other cities across America following the videotaped killing of Floyd on May 25.Federal agents say they have seen tape that allegedly shows Hunter firing "13 rounds from an AK-47 style semiautomatic rifle into the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct building" on the night of May 28, according to a statement by federal prosecutors.
"At the time of the shooting there were other individuals believed to be looters still inside the building," the statement said. "Law enforcement recovered from the scene discharged rifle casings consistent with an AK-47 style firearm."
Hunter's association with the “Boogaloo Bois" was uncovered during an investigation of Steven Carrillo, a fellow “Boogaloo" member who has been charged with two murders in California, authorities said.
Some of Hunter’s Facebook communications with Carrillo appear to have come in between two murders of law enforcement officers Carrillo has been charged with, allegedly a part of the group's efforts to co-opt protests and kickstart a civil war, according to records released by law enforcement.
Carrillo is accused of ambushing two Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies on June 6, killing Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, then scrawling the word “Boog” on the hood of a car in blood before he was detained.
The law enforcement records show Hunter sent a message to Carrillo saying “Boog.” Carrillo simply responded “did,” followed by “in hide mode.”
Carrillo has also been accused of the May 29 slaying of David Patrick Underwood, a member of the Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service who was guarding a U.S. courthouse in Oakland.
A person who answered the family's phone in Boerne, Texas, declined comment. It wasn't immediately clear on Friday if Hunter had retained a criminal defense lawyer.