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Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Brainerd man appeared before a federal judge in Minneapolis today and was sentenced for his involvement in the destruction of the Minneapolis Police Department Third Precinct Headquarters during the rioting that followed the death of George Floyd in late May.

23-year-old Dylan Shakespeare Robinson was given a four-year prison sentence and has been ordered to pay $12 million in restitution for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to commit arson. He entered a guilty plea in the case in mid-December.

“On the night of May 28, 2020, Mr. Robinson chose to depart from lawful protest and instead engaged in violence and destruction. The arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct put lives at risk and contributed to widespread lawlessness in Minneapolis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Robinson is held accountable for his actions.”

According to court documents, Robinson joined a crowd of hundreds of people outside the precinct headquarters the night of May 28th and later entered the building with several other people after the perimeter fence around the building was torn down. Prosecutors say Robinson lit an incendiary device that another person threw into the building. The original criminal complaint against him was largely based on social media posts of videos and photos of the incident.

Protests Continue Over Death Of George Floyd, Killed In Police Custody In Minneapolis
(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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Three other men have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson for their involvement in starting the fires that destroyed the Third Precinct building. 27-year-old Bryce Michael Williams, 25-year-old Davon De-Andre Turner, and 23-year-old Branden Michael Wolfe, 23 are currently awaiting sentencing.

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Timeline: George Floyd's Death, Protests, Riots, Arrests, Chauvin Trial

It was late afternoon on Memorial Day, 2020 and many Minnesotans had observed the normally active weekend hunkered down because of the growing pandemic.

George Floyd drove to a grocery store in Minneapolis and bought some cigarettes. He was accused by employees of making the purchase with a counterfeit $20 bill and police were called. Floyd was still there in his vehicle when two officers arrived. About 10 minutes later, Chauvin and another officer showed up and the situation began to escalate. Chauvin began kneeling on Floyd's neck as he was facedown on the street. Despite repeated pleas from Floyd and a growing crowd of bystanders to remove his knee, Chauvin continued as if frozen in position with no facial expression. 

After more than 8 minutes, Chauvin finally stood up and Floyd had become unresponsive. An ambulance was called and a short while later, it was reported Floyd was dead.

A video of the incident slowly spread on social media around the state, the country and the world. Viewers literally watched a man slowly die, repeating "I can't breathe." 

The now historic response began the following day.

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