Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is calling in the National Guard, fearing renewed unrest following a judge’s decision Thursday to drop a murder charge against an ex-cop charged in George Floyd’s death.
The move came just hours after Judge Peter Cahill dismissed a third-degree murder charge against former police officer Derek Chauvin, one of four since-fired Minneapolis cops charged in Floyd’s police-custody death on May 25.
Chauvin is still facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the case and is free on a $1 million pending trial.
Walz, however, made the call to activate the National Guard as a precaution following months of protests and rioting over Floyd’s killing, KTSP-TV reported.
The decision comes at the request of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, the outlet said.
Floyd’s caught-on-video death sparked worldwide protests and unrest denouncing police brutality, including in Minneapolis.
More than 16 US cities, including the Minnesota city, called in the National Guard to quell rioting in the days following Floyd’s death but later withdrew the troops.
In addition to Chauvin, three other since-fired officers — Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng — are facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.