Human remains were found on Monday within the debris of a Minneapolis store that was set ablaze during a violent George Floyd protest in late May, authorities said.
The unidentified body believed to be an adult male was recovered as authorities went through the rubble of Max It Pawn on East Lake Street.
John Elder, a spokesman with the Minneapolis Police Department said the remains appeared to have “thermal injuries,” The Associated Press reported.
No cause of death has been released at this time and the body was transferred to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office, pending autopsy results. Additional details surrounding the remains will be released in the coming days.
A Minneapolis homicide team of detectives have started their investigation into the arson, police said.
The pawn shop was one of many buildings and stores burned down after unrest erupted during a Floyd protest on May 28. A suspect in connection with the arson was arrested and charged in June after authorities obtained surveillance footage.
A criminal complaint was filed against 25-year-old Montez Terriel Lee of Rochester, Minnesota after he reportedly damaged and destroyed the store by means of fire and explosive materials, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Minnesota.
Detectives with the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Agency obtained several videos from an anonymous source on June 8 of the interior of the pawn shop at the time it was set ablaze.
“The video shows a masked man, later identified as LEE, pouring liquid from a metal container throughout the pawn shop,” the office stated. The video then cuts to the outside of the pawn shop, which could be seen burning.
After the video is cut, the suspect was seen in a second video standing outside of the burning building, with his fist in the air as he says, “[expletive] this place. We’re gonna burn this [expletive] down.”
Police were able to identify Lee due to his tattoos. He was charged last month after appearing in federal court with arson in connection to the torching of the pawn shop.
The store was located near the 3rd Precinct station, where protests and riots began after the police custody death of Floyd on May 25. Much of the city’s violent riots occurred in that neighborhood, where protesters converged on the precinct station of the police who arrested Floyd.
The building and the equipment inside suffered catastrophic damage as a result of the criminal acts of the rioters. Officials estimate that it will cost roughly $10 million to rebuild just the building.
“It is time to rebuild. Rebuild the city, rebuild our justice system and rebuild the relationship between law enforcement and those they’re charged to protect,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said at the time of the riots.
President Donald Trump also addressed the violence and expressed his frustration on Twitter at the time saying he “can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City.”
“A total lack of leadership,” the president said. “Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
